Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 003 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: Employees required to work at the wellhead (T.H.S.U. #281, 20 miles S. E. of Midland, Texas) and thereby exposed to potential releases of hydrocarbon gases/vapors and the hazards related to resulting fires/explosions (as did occur on March 8, 1993), were not adequately protected by ensuring precautions were taken to prevent ignition of these releases by eliminating or controlling sources of ignition. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to abate these conditions would be to ensure that all fires, electrical equipment, internal combustion equipment and the like were shut down/located one hundred feet upwind from the wellhead.