OSHA Inspection: SOUTHWESTERN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Dec 4, 2015

Penalty

Initial $4,675 · Current $4,675

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.21(b)(2): The employer did not instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe condition(s) and the regulation(s) applicable to his work environment to control or eliminate any hazard(s) or other exposure to illness or injury:    On or about August 5, 2015, at a trench located between parking lot and highway, the employer did not provide instruction on the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and regulations applicable to trenching hazards prior to an employee working in a trench that had areas at or above 5 feet in depth.  Employees were exposed to cave-in hazards when repairing cables.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Dec 4, 2015

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

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 paragraph (b) or (c) of this section:   On or about August 5, 2015, at a trench located between a parking lot and the highway, protection from cave-ins by an adequate protective system designed in accordance with paragraph (b), or (c) was not provided to two employees who worked in the trench with areas at or above 5 feet in depth which exposes employees to cave-in hazards when repairing cables.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Dec 4, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,805 · Current $2,805

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.100(a): Employees were not protected by protective helmets while working in areas where there was a possible danger of head injury from impact, or from falling or flying objects, or from electrical shock and burns:    On or about August 5, 2015, at a trench located between a parking lot and the highway, protective helmets were not worn by two employees who worked in a trench and were exposed to material falling and striking them.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Dec 4, 2015

Penalty

Initial $2,805 · Current $2,805

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 (.61m) 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:      On or about August 5, 2015, at a trench located between a parking lot and the highway, excavated material was within 2 feet of the trench with nothing to prevent the excavated material from falling into the trench which exposes employees to struck-by hazards.

Issued

Dec 2, 2015

Abate by

Dec 4, 2015

Penalty

Initial $27,500 · Current $9,735 Reduced

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:        On or about August 5, 2015, at a trench located between a parking lot and the highway, a competent person did not make an inspection of the trench prior to two employees working in the trench that had areas at or above 5 feet in depth which exposes employees to cave-in hazards when repairing cables.       Southwestern Bell Telephone Company was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard, 29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1) which was contained in OSHA inspection Number 984772, Citation Number 1, Item Number 2, and was affirmed as a final order on 11/24/2014 with respect to a workplace located at 319 Oakhurst Street, La Porte, TX 77571.