OSHA Inspection: ATLANTIC CITY SEWAGE CO.

Issued

Aug 16, 1990

Abate by

Nov 16, 1990

Penalty

Initial $640 · Current $415 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
hazardous sewer gases such as hydrogen sulfide and oxygen deficiency
during confined space entries:
a) Establishment: The employer did not develop and implement adequate
written safe confined space entry procedures for employees required
to enter manholes throughout Atlantic City to examine sewer lines
for inspection, maintenance and sizing purposes.
On or about 6/15/90.
Among other methods, a feasible and acceptable abatement method to
correct the hazard is to develop and follow standard procedures for
safe entry, including but not limited to:
1) Identify and evaluate permit required confined spaces.
2) Establish the procedures by which permit spaces can be safely
entered:
a) Blanking
b) Purging and ventilation
c) Isolation and lockout
d) Cleaning
e) Equipment and tools
3) Establish a permit system for the preparation, issuance and
implementation of entry permits;
a) Entry into the space shall be by permit only.
b) The permit shall carry the date of entry and authoirzed duration.
c) The permit shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
i) Location and description of work to be done.
ii) Hazards that may be encountered.
iii) Measures to control potential hazards.
iv) Complete isolation checklist.
v) Acceptable environmental conditions to be maintained during entry.
vi) Atmospheric testing equipment, procedures and readings.
vii) Rescue procedures and equipment.
viii) Communication procedures.
ix) Personal protective equipment such as respirators, clothing and
retrieval lines.
x) Personnel training.
xi) Authorized entrants and attendants.
4) Entrances to permit confined spaces shall be posted:
DANGER
CONFINED SPACE
ENTRY BY PERMIT ONLY
5) Unauthorized entry to confined spaces shall be prevented.
6) Ensure that authorized entrants are trained in the following areas:
a) Hazard recognition.
b) Communication
c) Protective equipment.
d) Self-rescue.
7) Ensure that attendants are trained in the following areas:
a) Hazard recognition.
b) Communication.
c) Rescue.
8) Personnel shall be equipped with safety harnesses, safety lines or
other equivalent retrieval gear to rescue persons from hazardous
atmospheres.
9) The standby man, with suitable self-contained breathing apparatus,
shall be at the nearest fresh air base for emergency rescue.
10) Communication shall be maintained between entrants and attendants
at all times.
11) Employees shall review the guidelines for safe entry and emergency
exit before entering a permit required space.
12) The above requirement in addition to all other standards relating to
confined space entry, including but not limited to those listed in
NIOSH Publication #80-106, ANSI Z117.1 (1989).
Proposed Standard 20 CFR 1910.146 Federal register dated 6/5/89
and ASTM D4276-84, shall be complied with when entering the space.

Issued

Aug 16, 1990

Abate by

Sep 16, 1990

Penalty

Initial $350 · Current $225 Reduced

Issued

Aug 16, 1990

Abate by

Sep 16, 1990

Penalty

Initial $350 · Current $225 Reduced

Issued

Aug 16, 1990

Abate by

Nov 16, 1990

Penalty

Initial $200 · Current $135 Reduced

Issued

Aug 16, 1990

Abate by

Sep 6, 1990

Penalty

Initial $100