OSHA Inspection: PRECISION HYDROVAC & JETTER SERVICES, INC.

Issued

2023-04-04 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-04-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3349.00 · Current $2009.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.651(k)(1): Daily inspections of excavations, the adjacent areas, and protective systems were not made by a competent person for evidence of a situation that could have resulted in possible cave-ins, indications of failure of protective systems, hazardous atmospheres and or other hazardous conditions:  (a)	On or before November 18, 2022, the employer did not ensure that daily inspections of an excavation and the adjacent area were made by the competent person for evidence of a situation that could have resulted in a hazardous condition, in that the employer did not ensure that an employee using a hydro-vac system to remove silt and mud from a retaining pond were protected by an adequate protection system.  Water was sprayed onto the silt in order to turn it into a liquified slurry which was easier to remove via the hydro-vac hose.  Employees stood on the bottom of the retaining pond and used the hose to vacuum the silt, water, and mud which was in front of and to the sides of the worker.  The approximate depth of the silt and mud around the worker varied from 5 feet to 6 feet in depth to the top surface.  The slopes of the silt and mud were greater than 34 degrees per the requirements of type C soil.  This condition exposed employees to a crushing hazard by excavation wall cave-in.     Note:  "Competent person" means 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.

Issued

2023-04-04 00:00:00

Abate by

2023-04-10 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3349.00 · Current $2009.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1926.652(b)(2): Maximum allowable slopes, and allowable configurations for sloping and benching systems, were not determined in accordance with the conditions and requirements set forth in Appendices A and B to this subpart:  (a)	On or before November 18, 2022, the employer did not ensure that an employee using a hydro-vac system to remove silt and mud from a retaining pond were protected by an adequate protection system.  Water was sprayed onto the silt in order to turn it into a liquified slurry which was easier to remove via the hydro-vac hose.  Employees stood on the bottom of the retaining pond and used the hose to vacuum the silt, water, and mud which was in front of and to the sides of the worker.  The approximate depth of the silt and mud around the worker varied from 5 feet to 6 feet in depth to the top surface.  The slopes of the silt and mud were greater than 34 degrees per the requirements of type C soil.  This condition exposed employees to a crushing hazard by excavation wall cave-in.