Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: ELECTRIC

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to serious electrical flash burns: JOBSITE: ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 13, 1999, THE EMPLOYER HAD NOT CONDUCTED A PRE-JOB SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE TYPES OF PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) NEEDED, THE APPROPRIATE WORKPRACTICES THAT WOULD BE UTILIZED AND THE PROPER WAY(S) OF ACCESSING THE WORK THAT COULD NOT BE DONE SAFELY FROM THE GROUND. THE DEFICIENCIES IN PRE-JOB PLANNING INCLUDED: 1.THE EMPLOYEE WAS WEARING ONLY LEATHER GLOVES. 2.THE EMPLOYEE WAS STANDING ON A NARROW AND ROUNDED RUNG OF AN EXTENSION LADDER WHILE BOTH HIS HANDS WERE OCCUPIED BY HOLDING TWO PROBES OF AN ELECTRICAL TEST INSTRUMENT. 3.THE EMPLOYEE HAD TO TURN HIS UPPER BODY APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES TO HIS LEFT TO PERFORM THE WORK DUE TO INAPPROPRIATE LADDER POSITION. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE METHOD OF ABATEMENT INCLUDES: 1.CONDUCT A PRE-JOB SURVEY BY A COMPETENT PERSON BEFORE ANY EMPLOYEE(S) COMMENCE WORK. 2.ASCERTAIN THAT EMPLOYEES ARE NOT ONLY PROVIDED WITH, BUT ALSO WEARING AT ALL TIMES THE APPROPRIATE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE), SUCH AS (BUT NOT LIMITED TO) FLAME RETARDENT FACE SHIELDS; FLAME RETARDENT CLOTHING; AND FLAME RETARDENT GLOVES. 3.PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH AND UTILIZE SAFELY CONSTRUCTED, ERECTED AND POSITIONED WORK PLATFORM(S), SUCH AS (BUT NOT LIMITED TO) AN AERIAL LIFT; A SCISSORS LIFT; AND A SCAFFOLD, WHERE THE WORK CAN NOT BE DONE SAFELY FROM THE GROUND.