OSHA Inspection: TRIANGLE GRADING & PAVING, INC.

Issued

Nov 22, 2011

Abate by

Nov 30, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,000

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of North Carolina:  The
employer did not furnish each of his employees conditions of employment
and a place of employment free from
recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious
physical harm to employees in that
employees were exposed to a hazardous atmosphere:
a)work site, manhole at the intersection of US Hwy 70 and Leesville Road -
on June7th, 2011 at
approximately 5:00 PM two employees entered a 11 foot deep by 8 foot wide
concrete
municipal drinking water butterfly valve manhole to retrieve an inflatable
plug needed at
another location on the job site.  Upon entering, the employees lost
consciousness due to an
oxygen deficient atmosphere within the space and suffered death by
asphyxiation.  The
employer did not ensure that atmospheric testing was conducted to ensure
safe atmospheric
conditions for human occupancy in the space prior to entry.
Abatement Note:
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to prevent this
hazard is to comply with the
American National Standard Institute (ANSI), Standard Z117.1-2003 "Safety
Requirements for Confined
Spaces."  Section 6.1 states in part that "before entry into a confined
space, necessary testing shall be conducted
for hazardous atmospheres by a qualified person."  The standard describes
testing should include methods for
measuring oxygen content, flammability/combustibility, and toxicity within
the space.  Section 6.3.2 requires
that when atmospheric testing indicates unacceptable conditions within the
space, entry be prohibited until
appropriate controls are implemented or appropriate personal protective
equipment is provided.

Issued

Nov 22, 2011

Abate by

Nov 30, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,000

General-duty citation text

North Carolina General Statute 95-129(1) of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of North Carolina:  The
employer did not furnish each of his employees conditions of employment
and a place of employment free from
recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious
physical harm to employees in that
employees were exposed to a hazardous atmosphere:
a)work site, manhole at the intersection of US Hwy 70 and Leesville Road -
on June7th, 2011 at
approximately 5:00 PM two employees entered an 11 foot deep by 8 foot wide
concrete
municipal drinking water butterfly valve manhole to retrieve an inflatable
plug needed at
another location on the job site.  Upon entering, the employees lost
consciousness due to an
oxygen deficient atmosphere within the space and suffered death by
asphyxiation.  The
employer did not ensure that appropriate retrieval and rescue equipment
was available and
utilized during the confined space entry.
Abatement Note:
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable method to prevent this
hazard is to comply with the
American National Standard Institute (ANSI), Standard Z117.1-2003 "Safety
Requirements for Confined
Spaces."  Section 12.2 requires that appropriate retrieval equipment or
methods be used whenever a person
enters a permit required confined space.  Section 14.1 requires a written
plan of action providing provisions to
conduct a rescue for entrants in a confined space should an emergency
arise.ncy