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

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 required to enter confined spaces which could contain toxic, flammable, or oxygen deficient atmospheres, and they were not provided and Confined Space Entry Progress: a) Westerly Wastemaster Treatment Facility, Westerly, Rhode Island: Employees required to enter each of the outlying wastewater pump station control rooms, pump rooms, and wet wells were not protected by confined space entry procedures which included at a minium the following precautions: 1) Air monitoring for toxic, flammable, and oxygen dificient atmospheres, each time employees entered can stations and wet walls to assure that employees were not entering hazardous atmospheres. 2) Entry permits issued by Supervisory Personnel which outlines specific job function and time periods for which confined space entry would be permitted. 3) Standby personnel equipped with lifelines, emergency rescue equipment and communication systems which would provide continuous communications with the employee in the confined area and emergency communication to additional rescue workers. 4) Training for all employees involved in confined space entry and rescue operations in alll aspects of the progress including: hands on rescue drills, protective equipment usage, air testing equipment use and calibration, emergency communication proceduresand emergency first aid and CPR.