Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 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 the hazard of structural fires: a.On or about October 9, 1996, the electrical systems on the Norton Creek Farm were not maintained in a safe and proper operational condition: 1.Temporary wiring was used in place of permanent wiring: A.In House Number Three, a flat orange extension cord was used to provide power to the fill line motor and switches. B.Throughout the farm, orange extension cords were used in place of permanent wiring to provide power to the fill line switches. 2.Electrical cords were not protected from damage: A.Throughout the farm, orange extension cords used to provide power to the feed line auger motors, were not protected from damage caused by the chickens pecking at the cords, damaging the exterior casing of the power lines. B.Throughout the farm, the nonmetallic-sheathed cables were not protected from damage. The nonmetallic-sheathed cables did not follow the surfaces closely and were not enclosed in conduit. 3.In House Number Three, temporary wiring was stapled to the rafters of the structure. The flat orange extension cord supplying power to the fill line had been stapled to the structure. 4.Power cords were improperly spliced together. In House Number Four, the orange extension cord wired into the 48-inch wall fan had a spliced area where the tape was coming off, exposing the inner electrical wires. 5.Throughout the farm, the nonmetallic-sheathed cable, Romex style power lines, were not supported every 4 feet. The cables were connected to the support poles in the houses. The support poles were approximately 12 feet apart. The distance between poles 2 and 4 was approximately 24 feet because the third pole on each side of the house had been removed to allow access inside the house to cleaning equipment. 6.Throughout the farm, there were junction boxes and receptacles found without face plates, opened, exposing the interior wires, such as but notlimited to the fill line receptacles in House Number Three, and south feed line in House Number Four. Among other methods, one feasible means of abatement would be to provide electrical installations which are incompliance with the National Electrical code.rical