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 piece 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 oxygen deficiency, exposure to toxic and/or flammable atmosphere and in adjacent rescue procedures during aircraft fuel tank entry on or about september 13, 1988 and september 14, 1988 in building 3035 when: 1) Toxic atmosphere testing was not performed prior to fuel tank entry; 2) Atmosphere monitoring tests were not routine inside the tanks; 3) The established permit was not utilized prior to fuel tank entry; 4) The outside standby observer did not have adequate equipment for rescue in case of an emergency; 5) There was inadequate training in the correct use and calibration of the atmospheric testing equipment; 6) There was inadequate entry and rescue procedure training for the standby observer. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement methods would be be to follow the procedures for confined space entry described in ANSI Z117.1-1977 and NIOSH publication Criteria for a Recommended Standard...Working in confined spaces or any other procedure covering as a minimum the requirements of ANSI Z117.1-1977.