Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001A Hazard: CONFINED

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 hazards such as but not limited to asphyxiation, fire, and explosion, resulting due to entry into an unknown atmosphere in a confined space. a.Windsor Meadows complex, Bldg. 5, Brentwood, NH - On 07/21/03 employees of Tri-State Sprinkler Corp. entered a confined space (the lower level of the "doghouse" utility annex) without assessing the space to determine the potential hazards. The employees were permitted to reenter the space on following days even after noting and reporting some dizziness and an unusual odor, without determining the source of the problem. Two employees of Tri-State and one of Swain Plumbing & Heating received burns on 07/23/03 due to a propane explosion in this space. The lower level was accessible only by a ladder and met the definition of a confined or enclosed space (1926.21(b)(6)(ii)). Abatement note: One feasible method of abatement, among others, is to develop and implement a confined space program including the elements outlined in American National Standard Institute (ANSI), standard Z117.1 (Safety Requirements for Confined Spaces). Such a program would include but not be limited to training in the recognition of and safe entry into confined spaces; procedures for atmospheric testing for flammable, toxic, or oxygen deficient atmospheres prior to and/or during employee entries; appropriate ventilation methods to controlled detected atmospheric hazards; appropriate respiratory protection where the hazards can not be controlled by ventilation.