OSHA Inspection: ABB INC.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $9,472 · Current $9,472

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(c)(9)(i): Each contractor who was retained to perform permit space entry operations did not obtain any available information regarding permit space hazards and entry operations from the host employer:    (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not obtain available information regarding permit space hazards and entry operations from the host employer. Three employees were tasked with disassembling a three phase VonRoll transformer. One employee broke the plane of the transformer with a Cordless DeWalt impact wrench in his hand to attempt to disconnect the leads from the bushings. The atmosphere inside of the transformer ignited. The transformer was a permit required confined space. This condition exposed three employees to a fire and explosion hazard.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(2): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not identify and evaluate the hazards of the permit space before employees entered the space:  (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not identify and evaluate the hazards of permit spaces before employees entered them. Three employees were tasked with disassembling a three phase VonRoll transformer. One employee broke the plane of the transformer with a Cordless DeWalt impact wrench in his hand to attempt to disconnect the leads from the bushings. The atmosphere inside of the transformer ignited. The transformer was a permit required confined space. The hazards were not identified and evaluated before employees entered the space. This condition exposed three employees to a fire and explosion hazard.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(5)(i): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not evaluate permit space conditions when entry operations were conducted by testing conditions in the permit space to determine if atmospheric hazards existed.   (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not evaluate permit space conditions when entry operations were conducted by testing conditions in the permit space to determine if atmospheric hazards existed. Three employees were tasked with disassembling a three phase VonRoll transformer. One employee broke the plane of the transformer with a Cordless DeWalt impact wrench in his hand to attempt to disconnect the leads from the bushings. The atmosphere inside of the transformer ignited. The transformer was a permit required confined space. The atmosphere was not tested before entry operations were conducted. This condition exposed three employees to a fire and explosion hazard.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $9,472 · Current $9,472

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(3)(iv): Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not develop and implement means and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations including, purging, inerting, flushing, or ventilating the permit space as necessary to eliminate or control atmospheric hazards:  (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not develop and implement means and practices necessary for safe permit space entry operations including, purging, inerting, flushing, or ventilating the permit space as necessary to eliminate or control atmospheric hazards. Three employees were tasked with disassembling a three phase VonRoll transformer. One employee broke the plane of the transformer with a Cordless DeWalt impact wrench in his hand to attempt to disconnect the leads from the bushings. The atmosphere inside of the transformer ignited. The transformer was a permit required confined space. The atmospheric hazards were not controlled or eliminated before entry. This condition exposed three employees to a fire and explosion hazard.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(e)(1): Before entry was authorized, the employer did not document the completion of measures required by 29 CFR 1910.146(d)(3) by preparing an entry permit.   (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not document the completion of measures required by paragraph (d)(3) of 29 CFR 1910.146 by preparing an entry permit before entry was authorized. Three employees were tasked with disassembling a three phase VonRoll transformer. One employee broke the plane of the transformer with a Cordless DeWalt impact wrench in his hand to attempt to disconnect the leads from the bushings. The atmosphere inside of the transformer ignited. The transformer was a permit required confined space. An entry permit was not prepared before the employee entered the space. This condition exposed three employees to a fire and explosion hazard.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $5,683 · Current $5,683

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(g)(2)(iii): The employer did not provide training to each affected employee whenever there was a change in permit space operations that presented a hazard about which an employee had not previously been trained:    (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not provide training to each affected employee whenever there was a change in permit space operations that presented a hazard about which an employee had not previously been trained. Three employees were tasked with disassembling a three phase VonRoll transformer. One employee broke the plane of the transformer with a Cordless DeWalt impact wrench in his hand to attempt to disconnect the leads from the bushings. The atmosphere inside of the transformer ignited. The transformer was a permit required confined space. This condition exposed three employees to a fire and explosion hazard.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(h)(1): The employer did not ensure that all authorized entrants knew the hazards that could be faced during entry, including information on the mode, sign or symptoms, and consequences of the exposure:    (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not ensure that the authorized entrant knew the hazards that may be faced during entry, including information on the mode, signs or symptoms, and consequences of the exposure. Three employees were tasked with disassembling a three phase VonRoll transformer. One employee broke the plane of the transformer with a Cordless DeWalt impact wrench in his hand to attempt to disconnect the leads from the bushings. The atmosphere inside of the transformer ignited. The transformer was a permit required confined space. The employees did not know the hazards they were faced with during entry. This condition exposed three employees to a fire and explosion hazard.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(3)(iii): Employee training did not include the measures employees can take to protect themselves from chemical hazards, including specific procedures the employer had implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures and personal protective equipment to be used:    (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not ensure that employee training included the measures employees can take to protect themselves from chemical hazards, including specific procedures the employer had implemented to protect employees from exposure to hazardous chemicals, such as appropriate work practices, emergency procedures and personal protective equipment to be used. Three employees were tasked with disassembling a three phase VonRoll transformer. One employee broke the plane of the transformer with a Cordless DeWalt impact wrench in his hand to attempt to disconnect the leads from the bushings. The atmosphere inside of the transformer ignited. The employees did not recognize that using a non-intrinsically safe impact wrench in the presence of flammable gases acted as an ignition source. This condition exposed the employees to fire and explosion hazards.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $9,472 · Current $9,472

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.307(c): Equipment, wiring methods, and installations of equipment in hazardous (classified) locations were not intrinsically safe, approved for the hazardous (classified) location, or safe for the hazardous (classified) location:  (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not ensure that equipment used was intrinsically safe or approved for the hazardous (classified) location. Three employees were tasked with disassembling a three phase VonRoll transformer. One employee used a Cordless DeWalt impact wrench to attempt to disconnect the leads from the bushings. The atmosphere inside of the transformer ignited. This condition exposed three employees to a fire and explosion hazard.

Issued

Jan 6, 2020

Abate by

Feb 10, 2020

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.146(d)(14):  Under the permit-required confined space program required by 29 CFR 1910.146(c)(4), the employer did not review the permit space program, using the canceled permits retained under paragraph (e)(6) of this section within 1 year after each entry and revise the program as necessary, to ensure that employees participating in entry operations are protected from permit space hazards.   (a) ABB Inc. at 15001 County Road 46, Gilcrest, CO: On 7/25/2019, the employer did not review the permit space program to ensure that employees participating in entry operations were protected from permit space hazards. Employees entered transformers which are permit required confined spaces. This condition exposed employees to a confined space hazard.