OSHA Inspection: BLACK HILLS CORPORATION

Issued

Oct 20, 2014

Abate by

Oct 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(a)(3): The employer failed to ensure that existing conditions related to the safety of the work to be performed was determined before work on or near electric lines was started, including an assessment of the condition of poles, environmental conditions relative to safety, and locations of circuits and equipment:    On or about 24 July 2013, all hazards associated with the job were not discussed, including but not limited to , weather conditions, energy source control and special precautions to take for the task being performed thereby exposing employees to live electrical parts.

Issued

Oct 20, 2014

Abate by

Oct 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(c)(2)(i): An extensive briefing was not conducted in instances in which the work was complicated or particularly hazardous:    On or about 24 July 2013, an extensive briefing was conducted where the anticipated work was complicated or particularly hazardous.  The work involved cutout and pole repair work on or near energized parts.

Issued

Oct 20, 2014

Abate by

Oct 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(l)(2)(ii): The employer shall ensure that energized parts are insulated from the employee and any other any other conductive object at a different potential.    On or about 24 July 2013, the employer failed to ensure that an energized part was insulated from an employee working within the minimum approach distance of that part.

Issued

Oct 20, 2014

Abate by

Oct 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $7,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(l)(4): "Working position." The employer shall ensure that each employee, to the extent that other safety-related conditions at the worksite permit, works in a position from which a slip or shock will not bring the employee's body into contact with exposed, uninsulated parts energized at a potential different from the employee.    On or about 24 July 2013, employees were exposed to electrical hazards while working for a position that did not protect employees from coming into contact with a live electrical part.

Issued

Jan 13, 2014

Abate by

Oct 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $5,000 · Current $7,000

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(c): The employee in charge did not conduct a job briefing with the employees involved before they started each job, including at least the following subjects: hazards associated with the job, work procedures involved, special precautions, energy source controls and personal protective equipment requirements:    (a)  On or about 24 July, 2013, an adequate job briefing was not conducted before working on a live electrical part while repairing a cutout.  All the hazards associated with the job were not discussed, including but not limited to, the broken power line pole to the east, weather conditions, energy source control and special precautions to take for the task being performed, exposing employees to live electrical parts.

Issued

Jan 13, 2014

Abate by

Oct 30, 2014

Penalty

Initial $70,000 · Current $7,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(l)(2)(i): The employer failed to ensure that no employee approached or took any conductive object closer to exposed energized parts than set forth in Tables R-6 through R-10 when the employee was not insulated from the energized part (rubber gloves or rubber gloves and insulating sleeves are considered insulation):    (a)  On or about 24 July, 2013 and at times prior to that date, employees were exposed to electrocution, shock and burn hazards when they entered within the minimum approach distance for live 13KV and 7.6KV parts without being insulated.