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

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of North Carolina: The employer did not furnish to each of his employees conditions of employment and a place of employment free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees, in that employees were exposed to electrical hazards from exposed live wires, ungrounded appliances, and improper use of temporary wiring: a) Employer failed to provide migrant labor camps that were free from electrical hazard in that: 1) The following electrical hazards were present at the migrant labor camp, consisting of one two-story house, located at 907 S. King St., Windsor, NC 27983, as follows: (i) Temporary wiring was being used in lieu of permanent wiring throughout the house. (ii) Flexible cords were run through doorways throughout the house. (iii) Three flexible cords, connected end to end, were run up the stairwell to provide electricity to the upstairs bedrooms. The two upstairs bedrooms did not have convenience electrical outlets, as required. Additional power strips and flexible cords were connected to the three cords to provide power to fans and radios. (iv) A window air conditioner in a downstairs bedroom was plugged into a flexible cord that was plugged into a power strip with a missing grounding pin. This power strip was then plugged into another flexible cord and run through a hole in the wall to an outlet in the kitchen into which it was plugged. (v) The path to ground from the kitchen refrigerator was not permanent and continuous in that the plug was missing the grounding pin. (vi) Occupants of this house were exposed to live electrical parts in that: [A] An outlet in the living room, next to the kitchen had no cover, and live wires were exposed. [B] Live wires were protruding from under the refrigerator in the kitchen. [C] Electrical panel box on porch had two unused openings that were not covered or protected. [D] Bathroom ceiling light fixture was hanging down approximately one foot from ceiling, exposing live parts. [E] Ceiling light fixture in hallway upstairs had exposed live electrical wires. 2) One outlet in the trailer located at 102-A Bucklesberry Rd. was covered with tape rather than an approved wall cover plate. 3) The following electrical hazards were present at the trailer located at 422A Hoggard Mill Rd. (i) The path to ground from the refrigerator was not permanent and continuous as evidenced by the audible and visible indicator of the AC sensor used by the CSHO. (ii) Outdoor porch light fixture was loose, exposing live electrical wires to the elements and to the occupants of the trailer.