Violation Detail
Standard Cited: 510001 A Duties of Employers
Inspection Nr: 309436574
Citation: 01002
Citation Type: Willful
Abatement Date: 03/27/2006 I
Initial Penalty: $70,000.00
Current Penalty:
Issuance Date: 03/22/2006
Nr Instances: 6
Nr Exposed: 6
Related Event Code (REC):
Gravity: 10
Report ID: 0355114
Contest Date: 04/11/2006
Final Order: 11/05/2007
Emphasis:
| Type | Latest Event | Event Date | Penalty | Abatement Due Date | Citation Type | Failure to Abate Inspection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penalty | Y: State Decision | 11/05/2007 | 03/27/2006 | Willful | ||
| Penalty | Z: Issued | 03/22/2006 | $70,000.00 | 03/27/2006 | Willful |
Text For Citation: 01 Item/Group: 002 Hazard: ELECTRIC
Title 40.1-51.1(a) Code of Virginia: At this inspection site, 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 electrocution hazards while working near retaining walls along Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) train tracks. On October 1, 2005, an employees in a work crew that was drilling weep holes into the retaining wall next to track # 2. Members of the work crew crossed track #1 approximately 6 times during the work shift. The "third rail," which is energized while trains are running, was not de-energized while the work crew was crossing the tracks, although it had been shut down the day before so employees could carry tools and equipment across the track. The investigation revealed that supervisors of the work crew did not obtain written work orders for work on track #2 but were instead told verbally to complete the work (a work order was obtained during the previous week for doing the same work around track #1). The supervisors did not call the Operation Control Center (OCC) to inform them that they would be working on track #2 on the day of the accident, although they had done it the previous day. One feasible and acceptable method, among others, to correct this hazard is for the employer to assure that supervisory personnel and employees are retrained on and comply with the following current WMATA operation procedures: Section 4.198: "Metal shovels, scrapers or any conductive object shall not be used near the third rail, unless the third rail is fully protected on all sides with a rubber mat or booting cover, except as approved by SAFE."
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