OSHA Inspection: FREEDOM ELECTRIC

Issued

Sep 23, 1996

Abate by

Nov 25, 1996

Penalty

Initial $2,100 · Current $840 Reduced

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 exposed to:
a)  The energy control program initiated by Freedom Electric was
inadequate in that it
did not include developed and documented energy control procedures to
ensure that
equipment was isolated and rendered inoperative preventing the unexpected
start up of
the equipment.  Freedom Electric employee(s) performing work on feed mill
equipment
such as elevator legs, grinders, and scalpers at Ox Town Cattle Feeders
Inc. without
benefit of such energy control procedures were exposed to injury.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this
hazard is to develop and document energy control procedures to ensure that
equipment
is isolated and rendered inoperative preventing unexpected start up of the
equipment.
IN THE ALTERNATIVE
29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1):  The employer did not establish a program
consisting of an energy
control procedure and employee training to ensure that before any employee
performed any
servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected
energizing, start up
or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or
equipment would be
isolated, and rendered inoperative:
a)  The energy control program initiated by Freedom Electric was
inadequate in that it
did not include developed and documented energy control procedures to
ensure that
equipment was isolated and rendered inoperative preventing the unexpected
start up of
the equipment.  Freedom Electric employee(s) performing work on feed mill
equipment
such as elevator legs, grinders, and scalpers at Ox Town Cattle Feeders
Inc. without
benefit of such energy control procedures were exposed to injury.
AND
29 CFR 1910.147(f)(2)(i):  When outside servicing personnel were engaged
in activities in a
facility, the onsite employer and the outside employer did not inform each
other od their
respective lockout or tagout procedures:
a)  Freedom Electric employee(s) performing work in the feed mill at Ox
Town Cattle
Feeders Inc. requiring lockout or tagout were exposed to injury in that
Freedom Electric
had not informed Ox Town Cattle Feeders Inc. and Mid-America Millwright
Service,
Inc., the millwright contractor, of their lockout/tagout procedures.
IN THE ALTERNATIVE
29 CFR 1928.57(a)(6)(iv):  The employer did not instruct each employee in
the safe operation
and start up of equipment with which he/she is or will be involved:
(a)  The instruction provided to Freedom Electric employee(s) by the
employer was
inadequate in that employee(s) were not adequately instructed so as to
safely perform
start up of equipment; Freedom Electric did not make sure everyone was
clear of
equipment before engaging the power.  On or about June 10, 1996, Freedom
Electric did
not ensure that Mid-America Millwright Service, Inc. employee(s) were
clear of the feed
mill elevator leg before starting up the equipment; Freedom Electric was
aware that Mid-
America Millwright Service, Inc. employee(s) were to possibly be working
on the
elevator leg conveyor belt and pulley.

Issued

Sep 23, 1996

Abate by

Nov 25, 1996

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 exposed to:
a)  The energy control program initiated by Freedom Electric was
inadequate in that it
did not include written procedures for control of electrical circuits by
locking and/or
tagging while employee(s) are exposed to contact with parts of fixed
electric equipment
or circuits which have been deenergized.  Freedom Electric employee(s)
performing
work on electrical circuits for feed mill equipment such as elevator legs,
grinders, and
scalpers at Ox Town Cattle Feeders Inc. without benefit of such energy
control
procedures were exposed to injury.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct this
hazard is to develop written procedures for the control of electrical
circuits
by locking
and/or tagging.
IN THE ALTERNATIVE
29 CFR 1910.333(b)(2):  The employer did not maintain a written copy of
the procedures
outlined in paragraph (b)(2)(i):
a)  The energy control program initiated by Freedom Electric was
inadequate in that it
did not include written procedures for control of electrical circuits by
locking and/or
tagging while employee(s) are exposed to contact with parts of fixed
electric equipment
or circuits which have been deenergized.  Freedom Electric employee(s)
performing
work on electrical circuits for feed mill equipment such as elevator legs,
grinders, and
scalpers at Ox Town Cattle Feeders Inc. without benefit of such energy
control
procedures were exposed to injury.