OSHA Inspection: MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC COMPANY

Issued

Nov 17, 2022

Abate by

May 16, 2023

Penalty

Initial $14,502 · Current $14,502

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.269(c)(2): The job briefing did not cover at least the following subjects:  hazards associated with the job, work procedures involved, special precautions, energy-source controls, and personal protective equipment requirements.  (a) Location - 500 Salem Street, Medford, MA  On or about 05/26/2022, an employee was exposed to electrical hazards, whereas a job brief was completed but did not address working in an energized transformer.

Issued

Nov 17, 2022

Penalty

Initial $14,502 · Current $14,502

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.269(l)(3)(iii): The employer shall ensure that no employee approaches or takes any conductive object closer to exposed energized parts than the employer's established minimum approach distance, unless:  [A] The employee is insulated from the energized part (rubber insulating gloves or rubber insulating gloves and sleeves worn in accordance with paragraph (l)(4) of this section constitutes insulation of the employee from the energized part upon which the employee is working provided that the employee has control of the part in a manner sufficient to prevent exposure to uninsulated portions of the employee's body), or  [B] The energized part is insulated from the employee and from any other conductive object at a different potential, or  [C] The employee is insulated from any other exposed conductive object in accordance with the requirements for live-line bare hand work in paragraph (q)(3) of this section.  (a) Location - 500 Salem Street, Medford, MA  On or about 05/26/2022, an employee was exposed to live electrical components in a transformer that was not insulated to protect the employee from electrocution.

Issued

Nov 17, 2022

Penalty

Initial $14,502 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.269(l)(5)(i): The employer did not ensure that each employee, to the extent that other safety-related conditions at the worksite permit, works in a position from which a slip or shock will not bring the employee's body into contact with exposed, un-insulated parts energized at a potential different from the employee's.  (a) Location - 500 Salem Street, Medford, MA  On or about 05/26/2022, employees were not protected from shock while working in a transformer that was being back-fed by a generator.

Issued

Nov 17, 2022

Penalty

Initial $14,502 · Current $0 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.269(m)(3)(ii): The employer did not ensure that all switches, disconnectors, jumpers, taps, and other means through which known sources of electric energy might be supplied to the particular lines and equipment were de-energized / inoperable (i.e. open) and then did not ensure that such means were tagged to indicate that employees were at work.  (a) Location - 500 Salem Street, Medford, MA  On or about 05/26/2022, an employee was not protected from a known energized electrical source.

Issued

Nov 17, 2022

Penalty

Initial $14,502 · Current $14,502

General-duty citation text

29 CFR  1910.269(w)(7): Backfeed. When there is a possibility of voltage backfeed from sources of cogeneration or from the secondary system (for example, backfeed from more than one energized phase feeding a common load), the employer shall ensure requirements of paragraph (l) of this section are applied if employees will work the lines or equipment as energized, and the requirements of paragraphs (m) and (n) of this section are applied if employees will work the lines or equipment as deenergized.  (a) Location - 500 Salem Street, Medford, MA  On or about 05/26/2022, employees were not protected from an energized transformer that was being back-fed from a generator.