OSHA Inspection: SOUTH SHORE UTILITY CONTRACTORS, INCORPORATED

Issued

Mar 21, 2006

Abate by

Mar 29, 2006

Penalty

Initial $3,000 · Current $3,000

General-duty citation text

Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970:  The
employer did not
furnish a place of employment which was free from recognized hazards that
were causing or
likely to cause death or serious physical harm, when employees were
exposed to the hazards of
anoxic and toxic atmospheres when entering sewer mains (confined spaces):
Intersection of Cedar and Hillman Streets, New Bedford, MA:
On February 09, 2006 employees of South Shore Utility Contractors,
Incorporated were exposed
to potentially toxic and anoxic conditions when the employer failed to
implement adequate
confined space procedures prior to entry into at least two sewer mains.
Employees entered these
sewer mains to conduct cleaning and repair operations including, but not
limited to, examination,
removal and installation of debris-catching hoods, and shoveling out of
debris that had collected
inside the mains.
Feasible methods of abatement include, but are not limited to:
Use of an atmospheric testing meter before and during work inside the
confined space.  The
meter should be capable of testing for oxygen, toxins, and flammable
atmospheric hazards.  The
hazards must be tested in that order;
Use of a forced air blower to purge the space with clean, fresh air prior
to, and during, entry
in the confined space;
Entrant's use of a harness, or equivalent rescue device, connected to a
tripod to facilitate rescue
in the event an emergency arises.
Enforcement of a confined space entry program.