OSHA Inspection: NYSDOCCS GROVELAND CORRECTIONAL FAC

Issued

Jul 11, 2003

Abate by

Nov 18, 2007

General-duty citation text

NYSLL Article 2, Section 27-a.3.a(1):  The employer did not furnish to
each of its employees,
employment and a place of employment which was free from recognized
hazards that are causing
or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to its employees
and which will provide
reasonable and adequate protection to the lives, safety or health of its
employees.  In applying
this paragraph, fundamental distinctions between private and public
employment have been
recognized.
a)During the course of their assigned duties, corrections officers are
exposed to the
safety hazard of assault by inmates while stationed within the yard area of
Groveland Correctional Facility during hours of darkness.  Inadequate
lighting in
the yard limits the corrections officers' abilities to detect and identify
contraband
weapons from a safe distance.  This also limits the ability of officers
responding
to an incident to identify persons (including other corrections officers)
involved
in a disturbance.
A reasonable and adequate method to abate this hazard would be to limit
use of
the yards to daylight hours or to provide uniform lighting in the yards
with
consideration to the task being performed by yard officers.  Intensity of
lighting
specified by consensus standards, such as the Illuminated Engineers Society
Illumination Handbook, would be reasonable.  A light value of 5 foot
candles is
referenced for prison yards.
Source:  IES Lighting Handbook, 1987 Application Volume, P. 2-15,
Illuminance
Values (Outdoor) Illumination Engineering Society.