OSHA Inspection: ARTS SEWER & WATER SERVICE

Issued

Aug 31, 2011

Abate by

Sep 21, 2011

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $4,200

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1):  Each employee in an excavation was not protected from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with 29 CFR 1926.652(b) or (c):\\\\r\\\\n(a)  Arts Sewer & Water Service at 2231 Gaylord St, Denver, CO 80205:  On and before May 19, 2011, the exposing employer did not ensure that each employee connecting sewer lines inside a trench that measured approximately 8.0 feet in depth was protected from cave-in. An employee worked in the trench near the alley without using a protective system. The trench measured approximately 5 feet wide at this end. This condition exposed the employee to a crushing hazard by excavation wall cave-in.\\\\r\\\\n(b)  Arts Sewer & Water Service at 2231 Gaylord St, Denver, CO 80205:  On and before May 19, 2011, the exposing employer did not ensure that an employee installing speed shoring inside a trench was protected from cave-in. An employee standing outside the trench lowered speed shoring components to an employee that was standing inside the trench during the installation process. The trench was approximately 7 feet in depth and 4 feet wide at this location. This condition exposed employees to a crushing hazard by excavation wall cave-in.

Issued

Aug 31, 2011

Abate by

Sep 21, 2011

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1): Daily inspections of excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems were not made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could have resulted in possible cave-ins, indications of failure of protective systems, hazardous atmospheres and or other hazardous conditions:\\\r\n\r\n\\r\\\\n(a)  Arts Sewer & Water Service at 2231 Gaylord St, Denver, CO 80205:  On and before May 19, 2011, the exposing employer did not ensure that daily inspections of the excavation, that measured approximately 8 feet in depth, and the adjacent area were made by the competent person for evidence of a situation that could have resulted in a hazardous condition.  A competent person did not identify the lack of an appropriate protective system or did not take prompt corrective action to eliminate the cave-in hazard. The type B soil in the excavation had visible cracks and fissures, and it had rained the previous day. This condition exposed employees to a crushing hazard by excavation wall cave-in.\r\n\r\nAbatement Note: \"Competent person\" means one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.

Issued

Aug 31, 2011

Abate by

Sep 21, 2011

Penalty

Initial $2,550 · Current $2,550

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(c)(2):  A stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress was not located in trench excavations that were 4 feet or more in depth so as to require no more than 25 feet of lateral travel for employees:\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n(a)  Arts Sewer & Water Service at 2231 Gaylord St, Denver, CO 80205:  On and before May 19, 2011, the exposing employer did not ensure that each employee conducting work in the excavation were provided with a safe means of egress from trench excavations, in that a stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress was not located so as to require no more than 25 feet of lateral travel for employees. Employees accessed one ladder inside the trench that was located near the house. The excavation was approximately 70 feet in length and the employees worked inside the entire length of the trench.\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\n

Issued

Aug 31, 2011

Abate by

Sep 21, 2011

Penalty

Initial $2,550 · Current $2,550

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(j)(2):  Protection was not provided by placing and keeping excavated or other materials or equipment at least 2 feet from the edge of excavations, or by the use of retaining devices that were sufficient to prevent materials or equipment from falling or rolling into excavations, or by a combination of both if necessary:\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n(a)  Arts Sewer & Water Service at 2231 Gaylord St, Denver, CO 80205:  On and before May 19, 2011, the exposing employer did not ensure the spoil pile on the trench was 2 feet (.61m) from the trench. The excavation was approximately 70 feet in length, 5 feet wide, and ranged from 6 feet to 8 feet in depth. This condition exposed the employees to the hazard of the materials falling into the trench or causing the trench to collapse.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\r\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\n