OSHA Inspection: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON INC.

Issued

Apr 24, 1992

Abate by

May 13, 1992

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

General-duty citation text

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
required to enter confined spaces without propr precautions taken
to ensure their safety:
Feasible and useful abatement methods for reducing this haard, among
others, are:
a.   Conduct a survey of the premises to identify confined spaces.
Identify hazards for each confined space, including the past and
present uses of the space and changing conditions which may adversely
affect the atmosphere of the space.
b.   Before each entry into a confined space, complete an entry
permit and communicate the contents of the permit to the occupants or
post the permit.
c.   Ensure that ventilation is maintained in order to prevent
the accumulation of toxic or other contaminants during occupancy of
the confined space.
d.   Establish measures to prevent unauthorized employee entry
such as, but not limited to, posting signs and employee training.
OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE
29 CFR 1910.134(b)(8):  Appropriate survillanceofworkareaconditions
and degree of employee exposure or stress was not maintained:
a.   Unprotected maintenance employees entering the etch line
plating tank pit in department 65 for such purposes as repair, replace-
ment or maintenance of the sump pumps were exposed to uncharacterized
atmospheres of sulfuric acid and/or other contaminants which were
present from the leaking overhead sulfuric acid tanks.
OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE
29 CFR 1910.134(a)(1):   When effective engineering controls were not
feasible or while they were being instituted, appropriate respirators
were not used pursuant to the requirements of this section:
a.   Unprotected maintenance employees entering the etch line
plating tank pit in department 65 for such purposes as repair, replace-
ment or maintenance of the sump pumps were exposed to uncharacterized
atmospheres of sulfuric acid and/or other contaminants which were
present from the leaking overhead sulfuric acid tanks.
The employer is not limited to abatement methods suggested by OSHA,
i.e., methods explained are general and may not be effective in all
cases.  Other methods of abatement may be equally or more appropriate.
Ultimate responsibility for determining the most appropriate abate-
ment method rests with  the employer, given its superior knowledge of
the specific conditions on its worksite.
The violation(s) described in this citation are alleged to have
occurred on or about the day(s) the inspection was made unless other-
wise indicated within the description given below each violation.

Issued

Apr 24, 1992

Abate by

Apr 29, 1992

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000

Issued

Apr 24, 1992

Abate by

May 13, 1992

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $5,000