OSHA Inspection: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, VA CONNECTICUT HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Oct 27, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(9): The employer or authorized employee did not notify affected employees before the lockout or tagout devices were applied to the machine or equipment   Location:  950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT - On or about November 13, 2020, an FMS supervisor did not inform affected Boiler Plant Operators of a lockout/tagout isolation of a section of the Laundry Branch Main Steam Line.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Jun 29, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(d)(2): An orderly shutdown of machine or equipment was not utilized to avoid any additional or increased hazards to employees as a result of equipment stoppage:   Location: 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT - On or about November 13, 2020, an orderly sequence to shutting down the steam main in Building #22 was not utilized for ensuring that condensate water could be drained from the system.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Jun 29, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(d)(5)(i): All potentially hazardous stored or residual energy was not relieved, disconnected, restrained or otherwise rendered safe after the application of lockout or tagout devices to energy isolating devices.   Location:  950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT - On or about November 13, 2020, all potentially hazardous residual energy sources, such as condensate water, were not relieved or otherwise rendered safe after the application of lockout and/or tagout devices in the Building # 22 Mechanical Room.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Jun 29, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(f)(2)(i): When outside servicing personnel were engaged in activities in a facility, the onsite employer and the outside employer did not inform each other of their respective lockout or tagout procedures.   Location:  950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT - On or about November 13, 2020, the VA CT did not share their Lockout/Tagout procedures with Mulvaney Mechanical, Inc. prior to repairing the main steam line in Building # 22.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Jan 2, 2024

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

1960.8(a): The head of each agency did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm, in that employees were exposed to struck-by and burn hazards associated with high-pressure steam water hammer events:   Location: 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT. On or about November 13, 2020 and going forward, employees were exposed to struck-by and burn hazards in that the facility's steam system was not operated or maintained in such a way as to protect employees from the danger of an uncontrolled release of steam and flashing condensate caused by clogged steam traps and defective steam trap mechanisms due to steam flash or corrosion, which prevented the condensate from passing through the traps and safely dissipating.  Feasible and acceptable means to correct this hazard involve, implementing site specific procedures for the West Haven Campus to adhere to VHA Directive 1810(1) Boiler and Boiler Plant Operations Policy of 2018, and not limited to the following sections thereof below:  1. Ensure condensate return systems, and components thereof are being periodically tested to ensure their proper function as per Appendix A 1.b.  2. Implement a written steam conservation program that focuses particularly on maintaining steam traps, condensate pumps, and the integrity of piping systems and pipe insulation as per Appendix A 1.j.  3. Ensure steam and condensate leaks and other necessary repairs are reported to the boiler plant supervisor and given a high priority as per Appendix A 1.j.  4. Ensure boiler plant operations are being overseen by qualified persons that have met the requirements as a Boiler Plant Operator, WG-5402 as described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) qualification standard as per section 4f.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Nov 8, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1960.55(a):29 CFR 1960.55(a):  The Agency did not provide safety and health training for supervisory employees:  Location: 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT - On or about November 13, 2020 supervisors within FMS were not trained in how to recognize and abate the hazards associated with the specific trades for which they had supervisory responsibilities.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Nov 8, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i): Procedures were not developed, documented and utilized for the control of potentially hazardous energy when employees were engaged in activities covered by this section:   Location: 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT. On or about November 13, 2020, procedures were not documented and/or utilized for controlling hazardous energy of the Main Branch Steam line that feeds Buildings #22 and #24.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Nov 8, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii): Procedures did not clearly and specifically outline the scope, purpose, authorization, rules, and techniques to be utilized for the control of hazardous energy, and the means to enforce compliance including, but not limited to, 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(ii)(A), (c)(4)(ii)(B), (c)(4)(ii)(C) and (c)(4)(ii)(D):   Location: 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT. On or about November 13, 2020, the employer did not have specific procedural steps that outline the techniques to be utilized for the valves within the Building #22 mechanical room, for the control of hazardous energy of the steam main line and the steam stations.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Nov 8, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(c)(6)(i): The employer did not conduct a periodic inspection of the energy control procedure at least annually to ensure that the procedure and the requirement of this standard were being followed:   Location: 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT - On or about November 13, 2020, periodic inspections of energy control procedures had not been conducted for Steam Stations including the Main Branch Steam Line that feeds Buildings# 21. #22, #24, #27, and #34.   The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was previously cited within OSHA's Region I for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard, which was contained in OSHA Inspection #1067181, Notice #2, Item #6a, issued on December 15, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven Connecticut, 06516, which became final order on December 22, 2015, 2016. Means of abatement was provided on April 4, 2016.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Nov 8, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(7)(i): The employer did not provide training to ensure that the purpose and function of the energy control program are understood by employees and that the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage, and removal of the energy controls are acquired by employees.   Location: 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT - On or about November 13, 2020, training for specific equipment procedures was not conducted, following the installation of new steam line valves in the Building # 22 Mechanical Room.   The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was previously cited within OSHA's Region I for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard, which was contained in OSHA Inspection #1067181, Notice #2, Item #6b, issued on December 15, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven Connecticut, 06516, which became final order on December 22, 2015. Means of abatement was provided on April 4, 2016.

Issued

May 12, 2021

Abate by

Nov 8, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.147(f)(3)(ii)(D): Each authorized employee did not affix a personal lockout or tagout device to the group lockout device before working on the machine or equipment.   Location:  950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT - On or about November 13, 2020, each authorized employee, including  contractor(s) did not affix personal lockout or tagout devices to a group lockout device before conducting repair activities on steam system piping in Building #22.  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was previously cited within OSHA's Region I for a violation of this occupational safety and health standard, which was contained in OSHA Inspection #1067181, Notice #2, Item #5c, issued on December 15, 2015, with respect to a workplace located at 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven Connecticut, 06516, which became final order on December 22, 2015. Means of abatement was provided on April 4, 2016.