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 electical hazards: On or about October 8, 2007, and at times prior thereto, employees of MODOC Farms, A General Partnership, were operating cotton pickers such as but not limited to the John Deere Cotton Picker, Model #9986, Serial No. N09986X016177, too close to energized 7970 volt power distribution lines, exposing employees to the hazards of contact with the energized lines. Among others, one feasible and accepted method to correct the hazard would be to prevent contact with overhead power lines following the requirements outlined in the NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Overhead Lines, Paragraph (a) Un-insulated and Energized: "Where work is performed in locations containing un-insulated energized overhead lines that are not guarded or isolated, precautions shall be taken to prevent employees from contacting such lines directly with any unguarded parts of the body or indirectly through conductive materials, tools, or equipment. Where the work to be performed is such that contact with un-insulated energized overhead lines is possible, the lines shall be de-energized and visibly grounded at the point of work, or suitably guarded."