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

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 the danger of being shot from the accidental discharge of a firearm. A) LOCATION: ASSEMBLING AREA THE EXISTING PROCEDURES FOR THE TESTING OF NEW FIREARMS DID NOT PROVIDE FOR THE PROPER SAFETY MEASURES AND ENFORCEMENT TO PROHIBIT WORKERS FROM ACCIDENTALLY ALLOWING LOADED REVOLVERS FROM LEAVING THE FIRING RANGE AREA. THE CURRENT PROCEDURES FOR THE HANDLING OF FIREARMS WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE FIRING RANGE AREA OFFERED NO METHOD FOR VERIFICATION AND ENFORCEMENT TO INSURE THAT A LOADED REVOLVER DID NOT LEAVE THE FIRING RANGE. AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS TO INSTITUTE A PROGRAM THAT MANDATES THE INSERTION OF A HIGH VISABLITY SAFETY PLUG IN EACH REVOLVER BEFORE REMOVING THEM FROM THE FIRING RANGE. THIS SAFETY PLUG WOULD REQUIRE THOSE TESTING THE GUNS TO VERIFY THAT THE GUNS WERE EMPTY BEFORE REMOVING THEM FROM THE RANGE AND WOULD ALSO ALLOW OTHERS WORKING OUTSIDE THE RANGE TO VERIFY THEY WERE EMPTY. IN ADDITION, THE PLUGS WOULD SERVE AS AN ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM TO INSURE THAT THE RANGE PROCEDURES THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED ARE STRICTLY ADHERED TO.