Violation Detail
Standard Cited: 5A0001 OSH Act General Duty Paragraph
Inspection Nr: 103145009
Citation: 01001
Citation Type: Serious
Abatement Date: 01/04/1989 X
Initial Penalty: $1,000.00
Current Penalty: $1,000.00
Issuance Date: 01/03/1989
Nr Instances: 1
Nr Exposed: 2
Related Event Code (REC): A
Gravity: 09
Report ID: 0523300
Contest Date:
Final Order:
Emphasis:
Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 001 Hazard: LOCKOUT
Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish emloyment 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: On or about December 12, 1988, unqualified employees were exposed to the hazard of energized electrical wires while working on light fixtures. Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to correct this hazard is to establish and enforce an adequate plant lockout/tagout procedure such as that stipulated NFPA 70E - 1983. National Fire Protection Association Standard for Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee Workplaces. Essential elements of the lockout /tagout procedure would include: 1) Develop safe work practices for de-energizing circuits and equipment to prevent electrical work shock or other injuries resulting from direct or indirect electrical contacts when the work is performed near or on equipment circuits which are or may be energized. These practices shall be consistent with the nature and extent of the associated electrical hazards and developed before the circuits and equipment are de-energized. 2) De-energize live parts to which and employee may be exposed before on or near them. Unless it can be demonstrated that de-energizing intro-duces additional or increased hazards or is infeasible due to equipment design or operational limitations. In such cases, the procedures outlined in item 9 for working on energized equipment shall be followed. 3) Disconnect all electric sources from circuits and equipment upon which work is to be performed. Control circuit devices. Such as push buttons, selector switches and inter-locks, may not be used as the safe means for de-energizing circuits or equipment. Interlocks for electrical equipment may not be used as a substitute for lockout and tagging procedures. 4) Release stored electrical energy in circuits and equipment which might endanger personnel. Capacitors shall be discharged and high capacitance elements shall be short-circuited and grounded. 5) Place a lock and a tag on each dis-connecting means used to de- energize circuits and equipment on which work is to be performed. The lock shall be attached so as to prevent persons from operating the disconnecting means unless they resort to undue force or use of tools. The tag shall contain a statement prohibiting unauthorized operations of the disconnecting means and removal of the tag. 6) If a lock cannot be applied, a tag may be used without a lock provided the following additional requirements are met: 1) Tags are of a distinctive, employer-standardized, design that clearly prohibits unauthorized energizing of circuits and removalof the tag. 2) Additional safety measures, such as removal of isolating circuits elements, blocking of controlling switches or opening extra disconnecting devices, are employed. 3) Only one circuit or piece of equipment is de-energized. 4) The tagout period does not extend beyond the work shift. 5) All persons who have access to controlling devices are trained and familiar with the employer's tagging procedures. 6) If a lock cannot be applied, a tag may be used without a lock provided the following additional requirements are met: 1) Tags are of a distinctive, employer-standardized, design that clearly prohibits unauthorized energizing of circuits and removal of the tag. 2) Additional safety measures, such as removal of isolating elements, blocking of controlling switches or opening extra disconnecting devices, are employed. 3) Only one circuit or piece of equipment is de-energized. 4) The tagout period does not extend beyond the work shift. 5) All persons who have access to controlling devices are trained and familiar with the employer's tagging procedures. 7) A qualified person (see 29 CFR 1910.399(a)(100) shall operate the equipment operating controls or otherwise verify that the equipment cannot be restarted. The qualified person shall use test equipment to test circuits elements and electrical parts to which employees will be exposed and shall verify that the circuit elements and equipment parts are de-energized before work is allowed to proceed. The test shall also determine if any energized condition exists as a result of inadvertently induced voltage or unrelated voltage backfeed. Even though specific parts of the circuit have been de- energized and presumed to be safe. 8) Before circuits or equipment are re-energized, even temporarily, a qualified person shall conduct tests and visual inspections, as necessary, to verify all tools, electrical jumpers, shorts grounds and other such devices have been removed so that the circuits and equipment before they are energized. Only qualified persons may work on electrical circuits parts or equipment that have not been energized in accordance with items through 8 above. Such persons shall be capable of working safely on energized circuits and shall be capable of working safely on energized circuits and shall be familiar with proper use of special precautionary techniques, personal protective tools. Safety related work practices shall be developed which are suitable to the work being performed and for the voltage level of the exposed electric conductors or circuits parts. 10) Employees who may reasonably be expected to face a risk of injury due to electric shock or other electrical hazards shall be trained in and and familiar with the safety-related work practices outlined in items 1 through 7 above that pertain to their respective job assignments. Furthermore, qualifeid persons (i.e. those permitted to work on or near exposed energized parts) shall, in addition to the above training requirements, also be trained in and familiar with the following: 1) The skills and techniques necessary to distinquish exposed live parts from other parts of electric equipment. 2) The skills and techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage of exposed live parts. 3) Safety-related work practices used to protect employees against contact with energized circuits parts directly with any part of their body or indirectly through other conductive objects.
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