OSHA Inspection: DALE HANS EXCAVATING-UTILITIES

Issued

2021-10-14 00:00:00

Abate by

2021-12-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $4096.00 · Current $3000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

OSH ACT of 1970 Section (5)(a)(1): The employer 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 to employees:   The employer is failing to protect employees from struck-by hazards. This violation was most recently documented on June 9, 2021 at a worksite located at or near 2700 Flatwater Dr., South Sioux City, Nebraska.  Where the employer has a employee removing  an 11 inch flange from an isolated pipe section under approximately 40 pounds of pressure exposing the employees to being struck by the flange as demonstrated in this incident in which an employee was struck in the face.  AMONG OTHER METHODS, A FEASIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE ABATEMENT METHOD TO CORRECT THIS HAZARD IS:  Develop and implement safe work practices and procedures to eliminate struck-by hazards when employees remove flange caps from pipes. The safe work practice procedures shall utilize water at ambient temperature or another compatible liquid as a test medium as outlined in ASME B31.9-2014 paragraphs 937.3.1/ 937.3.4, and paragraph 937.4.   Employees shall be trained over safe work practice procedures that include, but not limited to the following:   1) Establishing a safe zone where employees can stand prior to opening a flange  2) Placing the pressure gauge for the pipeline being tested upstream of check valves  3) Establishing a service life for the pressure gauge being used to set the pressure inside the piping section being tested