OSHA Inspection: ADF CABLE CONSTRUCTION INC.

Issued

May 19, 2021

Abate by

Jun 15, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.416(a)(3): When and where energized circuits existed, the employer failed to post and maintain proper warning signs, advise employees of the location, hazard involved and the proper protective measures to be taken:   (a) ADF Cable Construction, Sand Hill Road and Forest Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania - Where employees used a powered capstan winch and a powered reeler to wind up and remove whole a conductive aerial fiber optic telecommunication cable, which had a length (over 4,500 feet long) capable of contacting exposed energized overhead electrical conductors, comprising a 69kV system running above the fiber optic cable, the employer did not advise employees of the hazard of indirect contact with the exposed energized lines and the proper protective measures to take, such as wearing rubber insulated gloves and non-conductive protective footwear, on or about December 11, 2020.  Abatement certification and documentation is required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

May 5, 2021

Abate by

Jun 1, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,557 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.20(b)(2): The employer did not initiate and maintain a safety program which provided for frequent and regular inspections of job sites, materials, and equipment to be made by a competent person (a competent person is defined as one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them):   (a) ADF Cable Construction, Sand Hill Road and Forest Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania - The employer did not have a competent person on the job site in that nobody inspected the job site, identified predictable electrical hazards, and took immediate actions to correct the hazards.  As a result, employees used a powered capstan winch and a powered reeler to wind up and remove whole a conductive aerial fiber optic telecommunication cable, which had a length (over 4,500 feet long) capable of contacting exposed energized overhead electrical conductors, comprising a 69kV system running above the fiber optic cable, exposing employees to the hazard of contact with electrical current, as occurred on or about December 11, 2020, when the fiber optic cable came out of a supporting loop, flipped up, and contacted the energized primary.  The metallic foil wrapping inside the fiber optic cable carried the electrical current to the reeler truck, where the electrical current returned to ground, including through an employee, not wearing electrically rated personal protective equipment, standing on the ground operating the reeler.  Abatement certification and documentation is required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

May 5, 2021

Abate by

Jun 1, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,557 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.95(a): Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, were not provided:  (a) ADF Cable Construction, West End of Forest Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania - Employees worked removing (wrecking out) seven aerial fiber optic telecommunication cables, each over 4,500 feet long, installed on 70-foot high metal utility poles.  These poles also had exposed energized power conductors, comprising a 69kV system, running above the fiber optic cables, which employees could contact indirectly, including through the fiber optic cables if the fiber optic cables whipped or flipped up during the wreck out process, and the employer did not require the employees to wear rubber insulated gloves designed for the voltages encountered and non-conductive footwear, and the employees did not wear rubber insulated gloves and non-conductive footwear, exposing employees to the hazard of contact with electrical current, on or about December 11, 2020  Abatement certification and documentation is required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

May 5, 2021

Abate by

Jun 1, 2021

Penalty

Initial $9,557 · Current $5,000 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1926.416(a)(1): Employees were permitted to work in proximity to electric power circuits and were not protected against electric shock by de-energizing and grounding the circuits or effectively guarding the circuits by insulation or other means:  (a) ADF Cable Construction, Sand Hill Road and Forest Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania - Employees worked removing (wrecking out) seven aerial fiber optic telecommunication cables, each over 4,500 feet long, installed on 70-foot high metal utility poles.  These utility poles also had exposed energized power conductors, comprising a 69kV system, running above the fiber optic cables, and the employer did not have the energized power conductors deenergized and grounded or guarded effectively by insulation or other means.  As the employees removed the first fiber optic cable using a powered reeler on the rear of an Altec A40P Aerial Cable Placer Bucket Truck, known as Truck 55, as well as a capstan winch on another truck, to wind this cable in full length onto a spool, the tail end of the fiber optic cable came out of a loop (one of many) used to temporarily suspend the seven fiber optic cables from the strand during the wreck out.  After coming out of the loop, the tail end of the cable flipped up contacting the energized primary.  The metallic foil wrapping around the optical fiber within the cable carried the electrical current about 1,500 feet through the cable to Truck 55, where the electric current returned to ground through the truck's two front tires and the rear driver side tire and through the employee standing on the ground operating the reeler at the truck's rear passenger side, resulting in electric shock and burns, on or about December 11, 2020.  Abatement certification and documentation is required within 10 days after abatement date. The certification shall include a statement that abatement is complete, the date and method of abatement, and state that employees and their representatives were informed of this abatement. Abatement documentation shall include documents demonstrating that abatement is complete, such as evidence of the purchase or repair of equipment, photographic or video evidence of abatement, or other written records.

Issued

May 5, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.4(a): The employer did not record each work-related fatality, injury or illness case that resulted in the general recording criteria on the OSHA Form 300 or equivalent:  ADF Cable Construction, 10105 Jonestown Road, Grantville, Pennsylvania - On or about December 16, 2020, the employer did not record the following workplace injury and illness on the OSHA 300 Log for calendar year 2020:  (a) On or about December 11, 2020, while wrecking out a fiber optic cable, an employee received an electric shock, resulting in in-patient hospitalization for burns and at least 20 days away from work.  Corrected during the inspection.

Issued

May 5, 2021

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1904.39(a)(2):  The employer did not report within 24-hours a work-related incident resulting in in-patient hospitalization, amputation or the loss of an eye:  (a) ADF Cable Construction, West End of Forest Avenue, Hershey, Pennsylvania - While wrecking out a fiber optic cable on December 11, 2020, an employee suffered an electric shock, which resulted in injuries requiring in-patient hospitalization.  The employer did not report this work-related in-patient hospitalization to OSHA.  Corrected during the inspection.