OSHA Inspection: ADVENTURE ISLAND

Issued

Mar 5, 2012

Abate by

Apr 7, 2012

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

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 being struck by
lightning:
a) 10001 N. McKinley Drive in Tampa, FL - Employees were exposed to the
hazard of
being struck by lightning while working outdoors at the Adventure Island
water park by
not following their own procedures to shut down the rides on dates
including, but not
limited to, September 10, 2011. An employee was struck by lightning when
employees
were not informed to initiate rides shut-down procedures after the
employer's strike
monitoring systems indicated activity within 0 to 5 miles from the park.
Among other methods, one feasible and acceptable abatement method would be
to:
1.Obtain training from the providers of the employer's existing strike
monitoring
systems about how to interpret strike data.
2. Review and change the existing Communications' weather procedure for
lightning
protection. On making such changes the employer would consider, but not
limit
considerations to, the following:
a. base shut-down decisions on the data from the existing strike monitoring
systems;
b. rely minimally on human observation/perception of weather conditions
after receiving indications from the monitoring systems of lightning
overhead (0 to 5 miles from the park); supplement data from the existing
monitoring systems with information from the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA's) National Weather Service
advisory about incoming storm warnings and weather forecasts
[http://www.nws.noaa.gov/];
c. reevaluate time required to evacuate guests from rides, especially when
employees are the last to evacuate and seek shelter (For example, if a
thunder (lightning) storm is traveling at 30 mph, it will travel 5 miles in
just 20 minutes. Most tornadoes have wind speeds between 40 and 110
mph.);
d. establish a minimum time for employees to remain in shelter after the
last
indication of overhead lightning before starting procedure to re-open
rides;
and
e. employee input from chair intercoms around the park about inclement
weather conditions. (Storms can develop in 20 to 30 minutes.)
3. Provide training to employees on the following:a. new Communications'
weather procedure for lightning protection;
b. how and when to communicate inclement weather conditions; and
c. enforcement procedures.
4. Provide a copy of new procedures to employees and a consistent copy for
the
reference guide at Communications' Base.
5. Implement an effective enforcement program for all employees on weather
procedures to be followed. Review the content of the existing procedure to
assure
that it adequately addresses, but is not limited to, the following:
If outdoors:
a.stay away from water pools and avoid contact with the water;
b.do not take refuge under any tall, isolated object, such as a tent or
tree.
(Standing under a group of trees, shorter than others in the area, is
better
than being in the open.);
c.avoid metal fences, clothes lines, metal pipes, rails, telephone poles
and
other conductors;
d.put down any object that might conduct electricity, such as a rake, hoe,
or shovel; and
e.seek low ground, preferably a ditch or gully.
If indoors:
a.keep clear of windows;
b.turn off televisions and other electrical appliances; and
c.postpone showers.