OSHA Inspection: MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC

Issued

Oct 3, 1990

Abate by

Nov 9, 1990

Penalty

Initial $900 · Current $450 Reduced

Issued

Oct 3, 1990

Abate by

Oct 10, 1990

Penalty

Initial $8,000 · Current $6,000 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 HAZARDS OF CONTACTING EXPOSED LIVE PARTS OPERATING AT 69 KVAC
BETWEEN PHASES AND 40 KVAC TO GROUND. ON JUNE 12, 1990, AT
APPROXIMATELY 2:00 PM, AT THE WARE SUB-STATION #1 GILBERTVILLE
RD., WARE, MA, THE EMPLOYEES WERE RECONNECTING AN OIL CIRCUIT
BREAKER TO THE OVERHEAD LINES WHEN AN EMPLOYEE CLIMBED THE OIL
CIRCUIT BREAKER TO REMOVE A PAIR OF WORK GLOVES FROM A BUSHING
ON THE OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER. THE EMPLOYEE WAS ALLOWED TO CONTACT
THE LIVE PARTS WITHOUT FIRST DETERMINING THAT THE INCOMING LINES
WERE DEENERGIZED.
AMONG OTHER METHODS, ONE FEASIBLEAND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO
CORRECT THIS HAZARD WOULD BE TO DEENERGIZE AND GROUND THE INCOMING LINES
TO THE OIL CIRCUIT BREAKER.

Issued

Oct 3, 1990

Abate by

Nov 9, 1990

Penalty

Initial $100 · Current $100