OSHA Inspection: SOUTHWEST UTILITY SYSTEMS INC.

Issued

Nov 30, 2018

Abate by

Dec 12, 2018

Penalty

Initial $5,174 · Current $1,361 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(1): Where portable ladders were used for access to an upper landing surface and the ladder's length allows, the ladder side rails did not extend at least 3 feet (.9 m) above the upper landing surface being accessed:    a) At the construction site located at NW 8th Terrace & NW 13th Ave., Cape Coral, FL, the portable ladder used at the site to access the manhole did not extend at least 3 feet above the landing surface.  Employees were using a 10-ft portable aluminum ladder to access and egress an 11-ft deep manhole, on or about June 1, 2018.

Issued

Nov 30, 2018

Abate by

Dec 12, 2018

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1053(b)(16): Portable ladders with structural defects, such as, but not limited to, broken or missing rungs, cleats, or steps, broken or split rails, corroded components, or other faulty or defective components, were not either immediately marked in a manner that readily identifies them as defective, or tagged with "Do Not Use" or similar language, and were not withdrawn from service until repaired:     a) At the construction site located at NW 8th Terrace & NW 13th Ave., Cape Coral, FL, the portable ladder used at the site to access the manhole was defective, in that, a side rail and footing were visibly bent, on or about June 1, 2018.

Issued

Nov 30, 2018

Abate by

Dec 12, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $3,300 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1204(b): The employer did not identify and evaluate the hazards of permit spaces before employees enter them:  a) At the construction site located at NW 8th Terrace & NW 13th Ave., Cape Coral, FL, the employer did not identify and evaluate the hazards of the non-active sewer manhole system before an employee made entry to conduct an air pressure test on a 500 foot long, 8 inch pipeline, on or about June 1, 2018.

Issued

Nov 30, 2018

Abate by

Dec 6, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $3,300 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1204(c)(4): Purging, inerting, flushing, or ventilating the confined space was not conducted by the employer as necessary to eliminate or control atmospheric hazards:  a) At the construction site located at NW 8th Terrace & NW 13th Ave., Cape Coral, FL, when an employee entered a non-active sewer manhole system to conduct an air pressure test on a 500 foot long, 8 inch pipeline, the confined space was not purged, inerted, flushed, or ventilated to eliminate or control atmospheric hazards, on or about June 1, 2018.

Issued

Nov 30, 2018

Abate by

Jan 18, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $3,400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1204(d)(8): The employer did not provide rescue and emergency equipment needed to comply with paragraph (i) of this section:  a) At the construction site located on NW 8th Terrace & NW 13th Ave., Cape Coral, FL, emergency equipment for rescue was not in place when an employee entered a non-active sewer manhole system to conduct an air pressure test to a 500-ft long, 8 inch pipeline that contained an oxygen-deficient atmosphere, on or about June 1, 2018.

Issued

Nov 30, 2018

Abate by

Dec 6, 2018

Penalty

Initial $12,934 · Current $11,641 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1204(e)(1): Permit confined space was not tested to determine if acceptable entry conditions existed before authorized entry was begun:  a) At the construction site located at NW 8th Terrace & NW 13th Ave., Cape Coral, FL, testing was not conducted prior to an employee entered a non-active sewer manhole system to conduct an air pressure test to a 500 foot long, 8 inch pipeline that contained an oxygen deficient atmosphere, on or about June 1, 2018.

Issued

Nov 30, 2018

Abate by

Dec 12, 2018

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $8,149 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1205(a): 29 CFR 1926.1205(a): Before entry was authorized, the employer did not document the completion of measures required by paragraph 1926.1204(c) of this standard by preparing an entry permit:  a) At the construction site located at NW 8th Terrace & NW 13th Ave., Cape Coral, FL, an entry permit was not prepared before an employee entered a non-active sewer manhole system to conduct an air pressure test to a 500 foot long, 8 inch pipeline, on or about June 1, 2018.

Issued

Nov 30, 2018

Abate by

Jan 18, 2019

Penalty

Initial $9,054 · Current $8,149 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.1207(a): The employer did not provide training to each employee whose work is regulated by this standard, at no cost to the employee, and did not ensure that the employee possessed the understanding, knowledge, and skills necessary for the safe performance of duties assigned under this standard:   a) At the construction site located at NW 8th Terrace & NW 13th Ave., Cape Coral, FL, training was not conducted for all employees including, but not limited to, employees working and/or assisting with water transmission pipeline air pressure testing, on or about June 1, 2018.