OSHA Inspection: PINE BLUFF FARMS, INC.

Issued

Aug 22, 1989

Abate by

Aug 23, 1989

Penalty

Initial $480 · Current $340 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Heath 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:
On or about August 9, 1989, employees were exposed to the hazard
of energized electrical wires while installing a motor on an
irrigation well pump.
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 by NFPA 70E - 1983.
National Fire Protection Association Standard for Electrical Safety
Requirements for Employee Workplaces. Essential elements of the lock-
out/tagout procedure would include.
1) Develop Safe work practices for de-energizing circuits and equipment
to prevent electrical shock or other injuries resulting from direct
or indirect electrical contracts 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-energizing live parts to which an employee may be exposed before
the employee works on or near them. Unless it can be demonstrated
that de-energizing introduces 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 interlocks, may not be used as the
safemeans for de-energizing circuits or equipment. Interlocks for
electric 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 disconnecting 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
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:
i) Tags are of a distinctive, employer-standardized, design that
clearly prohibits unauthorized energizing of circuits and removal
of the tag.
ii) Additional safety measures, such as removal of isolating circuit
elements, blocking of controlling switches of opening extra
disconnecting devices, are employed.
iii) Only one circuit or piece of equipment is de-energized.
iv) The tagout period does not extend beyond the work shift.
v) All persons who have access to controlling devices are trained and
familiar with the employer's tagging procedures.
7) A qualified person, shall operate the equipment operating controls or
otherwise verify that the equipment cannot be restrated. The
qualified person shall use test equipment to test circuit 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 backfeet even though specific parts of
the circuit have been de-energized and presumed to be safe.
8) Before circuits of 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 can be safely energized. A visual determination shall be
made to assure all employees are clear of circuits and equipments
before they are energized.
9) Only qualified persons may work on electrical circuit parts or
equipment that have not been de-energized in accordance with items
1 through 8 above. Such persons shall be capable of working safely on
energized circuits and shall be familiar with proper use of special
precautionary techniques, personal protective equipment, insulating
and shielding materials, and insulating 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 circuit 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 familiar with the safety-related work practices outlined in items
1 through 7 above that to pertain to their respective job
assignments.
Furthermore, qualified 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:
i) The skills and techniques necessary to distinguish exposed live
parts from other parts of electric equipment.
ii) The skills techniques necessary to determine the nominal voltage
of exposed live parts.
iii) Safety-related work practices used to protect employees against
contact with energized circuit parts directly with any part of their
body or indirectly through other conductive objects.

Issued

Aug 22, 1989

Abate by

Aug 29, 1989