OSHA Inspection: FWA DRILLING CO., INC.

Issued

Feb 5, 1992

Abate by

Feb 18, 1992

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

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 abatement
method rests with the employer, given its superior knowledge of the
specific conditions on this worksite.
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 the hazard of levels of heat stress in excess of those
specified in the 1991-1992 edition of Threshold Limit Values for
Chemical Substances and Physical Agents, a publication of the American
conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, which could in turn
lead to heat stroke and exhaustion, heat cramps, heat syncope or
transient heat fatigue.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method
to correct this hazard is to implement a comprehensive heat stress
prevention program for all employees  working in potential heat
stress environments. Such a program should include, but is not
limited to, the following elements:
1.   The provision of medical screening to identify those employees
with medical conditions that would be aggravated by work in
a heat stress enviornment.
2.   Regular training during the months of exposure to high work-
place heat levels for all employees working in potential
heat stress environments, covering symptoms, appropriate
first aid measures, and preventative measures.
3.   The provision, and mandatory use, of appropriate personal
protective equipment to provide auxiliary body cooling.
4.   The implementation of a structured work-rest regimen, so
formulated as to minimize the possibility of heat stress.
5.   The provision of a supervised program of regular consumption
of drinking water during heavy work operations, such as
during trips and when running drill collars into or out
of the hole.