OSHA Inspection: PUERTO RICO TELEPHONE COMPANY INC

Issued

Oct 15, 2009

Abate by

Nov 10, 2009

Penalty

Initial $1,500 · Current $750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

Section 6(a) of the Puerto Rico Occupational Safety and Health Act:  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 physical harm to employees in
that employees were
exposed to:
Seccion 6(a) de la Ley de Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo de Puerto Rico:
El patrono no
proveyo empleo y un sitio de empleo libre de riesgos reconocidos que esten
causando o que
puedan causar muerte o dano fisico a los empleados, por cuanto empleados
estaban expuestos
a:
In the Commercial Offices of Puerto Rico Telephone Company, located in San
Patricio
Plaza, the employees worked proccessing payments and providing customer
assistance.
The means of egress located at the entrace of the Commercial Office was
crowded with
customers who waited their turn to be served. The means of egress were not
in
compliance with the requirements of the National Fire Protection
Asociation (NFPA 101)
Life Safety Code:
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 7.1.10.1: Means of egress shall be continuously
maintained
free of all obstructions or impediments to full instant use in the case of
fire or other
emergency.
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 13.1.7.2(2): The waiting spaces shall be
restricted
to areas
other than the required means of egress.
Hazard: Delay during emergency evacuation.
Among other correction methods, a feasible and acceptable one would be to
relocated the
customer service counter away from the emergency exit.
En la Oficina Comercial de Puerto Rico Telephone Company, ubicada en San
Patricio
Plaza, los empleados trabajaban procesando pagos y brindando servicio al
cliente. El
medio de salida localizado en la entrada a la Oficina Comercial se
encontraba atestado
con clientes que aguardaban su turno para ser atendidos. Los medios de
salida no se
encontraban en cumplimiento con los requerimientos de la Asociacion
Nacional de
Proteccion de Incendios (NFPA 101) Codigo de Seguridad a la Vida:
NFPA 101 Codigo de Seguridad a la Vida 7.1.10.1: Medios de salida tendran
que ser
mantenidos continuamente libre de toda obstruccion o impedimento para su
uso total e
instantaneo en caso de fuego u otra emergencia.
NFPA 101 Codigo de Seguridad a la Vida 13.1.7.2 (2): Los lugares de espera
tendran
que ser restictos a areas otras que no sean los medios de salida.
Riesgo: Retardo en evacuacion de emergencia.
Entre otros metodos de correccion, uno accesible y aceptable seria
reubicar el mostradorde servicio al cliente, a un area lejos de la puerta
de salida de emergencia.