OSHA Inspection: HIGH RISE ELECTRIC, INC.

Issued

Oct 23, 2003

Abate by

Nov 5, 2003

Penalty

Initial $2,000 · Current $1,300 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 electrical shock and burns:
In the cellar switchroom in 90 Washington St., New York, N.Y. employees
were upgrading the
main Federal Pacific QMQB VL-9036 switchgear that involved the
installation of copper
adapters to aluminum cables where they attached to the switch lugs for
each phase as required
by the Electrical Code of the City of New York Chapter 27-3025, on April
25, 2003. The
employer used Insulated Rubber Blankets that were not in a di-electric
testing program.
Among other methods, a feasible means of abatement would be to use
Insulated Rubber Blankets
that were tested for di-electric integrity as required by the American
Society for Testing and
Materials F 479-95 Standard Specification for In-Service Care of
Insulating Blankets.
Note:  The employer is required to submit abatement certification for this
item in accordance
with 29  CFR 1903.19.ce

Issued

Oct 23, 2003

Abate by

Nov 10, 2003

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,600 Reduced

Issued

Oct 23, 2003

Abate by

Nov 5, 2003

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 the hazard of arc flash and arc blast:
In the cellar switchroom in 90 Washington St., New York, N.Y., employees
were upgrading
the main Federal Pacific QMQB VL-9036 switchgear that involved the
installation of copper
adapters to aluminum cables where they attached to the switch lugs for
each phase as required
by the Electrical Code of the City of New York Chapter 27-3025, on April
25, 2003. This
procedure required the employees to approach approximately 30 inches from
bus energized to
480 Volts phase to phase.   The employer proceeded with work on live parts
not placed in
electrically safe work conditions, without performing a Flash Hazard
Analysis and without  using
safety related work practices based on the determined hazard such as the
use of PPE appropriate
for protection from an arc flash.
Among other methods, a  feasible means of abatement for work on equipment
not placed in a
safe condition, would be to perform a Flash Hazard Analysis to determine
the approach distance
within which protective equipment should be used, and if work is required
within that boundary,
to provide employees with that equipment such as fire rated long sleeve
shirt and pants or
coveralls, a switching hood, and leather gloves or voltage rated gloves,
to protect against flash
hazards such as shockwave and burns, in accordance with Part II of
National
Fire Protection
Association Standard for Electrical Safety Requirements for Employee
Workplaces 2000 Edition,
Chapters 2-1.3.2 and 2-1.3.3.
Note:  The employer is required to submit abatement certification for this
item in accordance
with 29  CFR 1903.19.

Issued

Oct 23, 2003

Abate by

Nov 5, 2003

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,600 Reduced

Issued

Oct 23, 2003

Abate by

Nov 5, 2003

Penalty

Initial $4,000 · Current $2,600 Reduced