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

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 hazard of being crushed by large hangar doors while entering or exiting the facility: Hangar 4, west end - A microswitch was installed in a personnel door that safely allowed employees to pass through large, remotely operated, hangar doors at this location. The purpose of this interlock was to prevent the operation of the hangar doors when the personnel door was open. Where this switch had been inoperative for approximately one year according to employees in the area, the employer did not ensure employee safety by either replacing the broken switch or preventing use of the personnel door. ABATEMENT NOTE: Among others, one feasible and acceptable abatement method would be to replace the inoperative microswitch to enable the interlock to function in the manner of the original design. As interim abatement, the door should be locked out and use prevented.