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 natural gas explosions and electrical hazards by performing work on equipment that they were not trained to service and that they did so without being provided with written instruction manuals for the equipment they were working on. The National Fire Protection Association's National Fire Code 86, Ovens and Furnaces, 1995 edition, paragraph 1-5.4 states, "Personnel shall have access to operating instructions at all times." a)On or about January 4, 2001, at the jobsite located at 162 N. 44th Street, Milwaukee, WI,the employer permitted an employee who was not trained, experienced, nor qualified to operate or service HVAC equipment, specifically a furnace, to perform work on the equipment without providing an operator's manual for the equipment. On January 5, 2001, this work resulted in a natural gas explosion within the combustion chamber of the furnace. Among others, one feasible and acceptable method of abatement is to provide an operator's manual to employees for the equipment on which they are assigned to perform work and assure that only qualified operators operate such equipment. No certification required. Violation Abated.on