OSHA Inspection: BLUE NILE CONTRACTORS, INC

Issued

Nov 20, 2019

Penalty

Initial $13,127 · Current $10,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.403(b)(1)(vii): Safety of equipment were not determined on the basis of the following considerations: Other factors which contribute to the practical safeguarding of employees using or likely to come in contact with the equipment:  The employer is failing to protect employees from electrical shock and burns. This was most recently documented on or about 05/29/2019, at a jobsite located at the 2600 block of NE 46th St, KC MO. The employer did not examine the cord for the electric pump being used to pump water out of the trench. The cord is missing the ground pin which caused the path to ground to not be permanent and continuous.

Issued

Nov 20, 2019

Abate by

Jul 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $13,127 · Current $10,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.404(b)(1)(ii): On a construction site, where an assured equipment grounding program was not utilized, all 120-volt, single-phase, 15 and 20 ampere receptacle outlets which were not a part of the permanent wiring of the building or structure and which are in use by employees did not have approved ground fault circuit interrupters for personal protection.  The employer is failing to protect employees from electrical shock and burns. This was most recently documented on or about 05/29/2019, at a jobsite located at the 2600 block of NE 46th St, KC MO. The employer did not have GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters) on the WEN gas powered generator that was providing power for the electric pump being used to pump water out of the trench. Employees were exposed to electrical shock and burn hazards.

Issued

Nov 20, 2019

Abate by

Jul 30, 2021

Penalty

Initial $13,127 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.404(f)(3)(ii): Vehicle-mounted generators. Under the following conditions the frame of a vehicle may serve as the grounding electrode for a system supplied by a generator located on the vehicle:  The employer is failing to protect employees from exposure to electrical shock and burns. This was most recently documented on or about 05/29/2019, at the jobsite located at the 2600 block of NE 46th St, KC MO. The gas powered generator was mounted to the truck. However, the employer did not ground the generator via the grounding conductor terminal to the frame of the generator, and/or truck. This created an open ground.

Issued

Nov 20, 2019

Penalty

Initial $13,127 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.404(f)(6): The path to ground from circuits, equipment, or enclosures was not permanent and continuous:  The employer is failing to protect employees from electrical shock and burns. This was most recently documented on or about 05/29/2019, at a jobsite located at the 2600 block of NE 46th St, KC MO. The cord for the electric pump is missing the ground pin which caused the path to ground to not be permanent and continuous. Employees are exposed to hazardous conditions including electrical shock and burns.

Issued

Nov 20, 2019

Penalty

Initial $13,127 · Current $10,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances S777

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(i)(3): Sidewalks, pavements, or appurtenant structures had been undermined and a support system or another method was not provided to protect employees from the possible collapse of such structures:  The employer is failing to protect employees from crush by, caught in, struck by and/or engulfment hazards associated with trenching and excavation. This was most recently documented on or about 05/29/2019, at the jobsite located at 2600 block of NE 46th St, KC MO. The roadway was undermined so that it could cave-in, and/or collapse. The employer did not provide a support system, and/or other method, to protect employees in the trench and on the roadway.

Issued

Nov 20, 2019

Penalty

Initial $26,255 · Current $15,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances S777

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 (1.22m) or more in depth so as to require no more than 25 feet (7.62m) of lateral travel for employees:  The employer is failing to protect employees from a struck-by and crushed-by hazards. This was most recently documented on or about 05/29/2019, at the jobsite located at 2600 block of NE 46th St, KC MO. The employer did not provide or ensure that a ladder or other means egress was available for employees working in the excavation. An employee was working in the excavation which was greater than 4 feet deep at all locations, and approximately 47 feet from the egress point where the ladder was located.  Blue Nile Contractors was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.651 (c)(2), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1109361, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on 01/05/2016, with respect to a workplace located at 8529 N Highland, KC MO 65156.

Issued

Nov 20, 2019

Penalty

Initial $26,255 · Current $15,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances S777

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(h)(1): Employees were working in excavations in which there was accumulated water, or excavations in which water was accumulating, and adequate precautions had not been taken to protect employees against the hazards posed by water accumulation.  The employer is failing to protect employees from caught in, struck-by, engulfment and electrical shock and/or burn hazards associated with trenching. This was most recently documented on or about 05/29/2019, at a jobsite located at 2600 block of NE 46th St, KC MO. An employee was observed working in an excavation that had water accumulating in it which compromised the integrity of the trench walls. An employee was exposed to an excavation collapse in the excavation with a depth of greater than 5 feet in depth and approximately 47 feet long (14 feet North to South, and 33 feet East to West).   Blue Nile Contractors was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.651(h)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1341476, citation number 1, item number 1 and was affirmed as a final order on 11/06/2018, with respect to a workplace located at 202 Winn Rd, KC MO.

Issued

Nov 20, 2019

Penalty

Initial $26,255 · Current $15,000 Reduced

Hazardous substances S777

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(j)(2): Employees were not protected from excavated or other materials or equipment that could pose a hazard by falling or rolling into excavations, or by a combination of both if necessary.  The employer is failing to protect employees from struck-by and engulfment hazards associated with trenching. This was most recently documented on or about 05/29/2019, at jobsite located at 2600 block of NE 46th St, KC MO. The employer did not protect employees from struck-by and engulfment hazards by placing or keeping excavated or other materials at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation.   Blue Nile Contractors was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.651(j)(2), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1341476, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on 11/06/2018, with respect to a workplace located at 202 Winn Rd, KC MO.

Issued

Nov 20, 2019

Penalty

Initial $65,637 · Current $0 Reduced

Hazardous substances S777

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 (c).  The employer is failing to protect employees from struck-by and engulfment hazards associated with trenching and excavation. This was most recently documented on or about 05/29/2019, at jobsite located at 2600 block of NE 46th St, KC MO. The employer did not provide or require the use of benching, sloping, shoring or other means to ensure that employees working in excavations were protected from engulfment hazards. The trench was greater than 5 feet in depth.   Blue Nile Contractors was previously cited for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard or its equivalent standard 29 CFR 1926.652(a)(1), which was contained in OSHA inspection number 1109361, citation number 1, item number 2 and was affirmed as a final order on 01/06/2016, with respect to a workplace located at 8529 N Highland, KC MO, and OSHA inspection number 1341476, citation number 2, item number 1, and was affirmed final order on 11/05/2018, with respect to workplace located at 202 Winn Rd, KC MO.