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 to each of his employees a place of employment which was 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 working in a confined space that was being ventilated by a gas driven blower that was not set up according to the manufacturers instructions resulting in an accumulation of carbon monoxide in the confined space. The employer does not setup gas driven blowers to ensure that carbon monoxide or other contaminants are not introduced to confined spaces. This violation was observed on or about August 6, 2010 at the worksite located near 13241 Northwest Freeway, Houston, TX, 77040 where employees were exposed to a hazardous atmosphere in a confined space with a blower that was not set up according to the manufacturer's instructions. Among other feasible methods to correct the identified hazard, one method would be to use the blower in such a manner to minimize the possibility of introducing air contaminants which may create unacceptable limits per ANSI Z117.1 Safety Requirements for Confined Spaces, Paragraph 9.1.1. Disclaimers: 1.You are not limited to the abatement methods suggested above. 2.The methods explained are general and may not be effective in all cases. 3.The employer is responsible for selecting and carrying out an appropriate method of abatement. Pursuant to 29 C.F.R 1903.19, within ten (10) days, the employer must submit documentation describing the actions it is taking to establish, communicate, and implement procedures to ensure that the blower is set up according to the manufacturers instructions when utilizing the blower to force air into a closed work area.