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

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 was free from recognized hazards that were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to the hazard of a fall to a lower level when an unlighted, and unfamiliar, fuel bunker tank was entered. a) On 1/18/06 onboard the vessel Overseas New Orleans which was located at the International Ship Repair and Marine Service drydock facility, an employee entered the starboard fuel bunker tank and as a result of that entry the employee walked into an opening located in the first level of the tank and the employee fell approximately thirty (30) feet to the bottom of the tank. Among other methods one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to revise the company's Safety Handbook and Employee Training Program to ensure that the program provides for the following: 1) The employer and the crew supervisors are accountable for the safety of the employees on the work crews. A means must be developed to ensure that employees are familiar with the safety information and requirements in the Safety Handbook. 2) Special emphasis must be put on the adequacy of the safety training that is provided to employees. The safety training must ensure that employees are made aware of the layout of the vessel, the specific areas, including confined and enclosed spaces, they are prohibited from entering and those areas they are permitted to enter. Or in the alternative: 29 CFR 1915.73(d): When employees were exposed to unguarded edges of decks, platforms, flats, and similar flat surfaces, more than 5 feet above a solid surface, the edges were not guarded by adequate guardrails meeting the requirements of 1915.71(j)(1) and (2): a) On 1/18/06 onboard the vessel Overseas New Orleans which was located at the International Ship Repair and Marine Service drydock facility, an employee entered the starboard fuel bunker tank and as a result of that entry the employee walked into an unguarded opening located in the first level of the tank and the employee fell approximately thirty (30) feet to the bottom of the tank.