OSHA Inspection: CHERRY-TODD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3696.00 · Current $3000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee used appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation:     (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure that each affected employee used appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to electrical hazards. On September 9, 2017, a lineman was not wearing appropriate eye or face protection while moving conductors and contacted an energized 14.4kV conductor. This condition exposed an employee to flying particles and molten metal associated with coming into contact with an energized conductor.      Abatement Note: Protective eye and face devices purchased after July 5, 1994 shall comply with ANSI Z87.1-1989, "American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection."

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3696.00 · Current $3000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.135(a)(1): The employer did not ensure that each affected employee wore a protective helmet when working in areas where there was a potential for injury to the head from falling objects:    (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure that employees performing work on overhead power lines were wearing protective helmets rated for electrical work. On September 9, 2017, an employee working from an aerial lift bucket was handling energized conductors without the use of a protective helmet. An employee came into contact with an energized 14.4kV conductor and was exposed overhead hazards related to handling the conductors during an outage and pole change-out. This condition exposed an employee to overhead hazards related to working with energized conductors.

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5174.00 · Current $3000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.138(a): The employer did not select and require employees to use appropriate hand protection when employees' hands were exposed to hazards such as those from skin absorption of harmful substances; severe cuts or lacerations; severe abrasions; punctures; chemical burns; thermal burns; and harmful temperature extremes:    (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut Across Road, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure employees were wearing the appropriate hand protection when handling an energized conductor. On September 9, 2017, an employee was wearing leather gloves while moving electrical conductors during an outage when the employee's hand contacted a 14.4kV energized conductor and was severely shocked and burned. This condition exposed an employee to shock and burn hazards as a result of contacting an energized conductor.

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3696.00 · Current $3000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(c)(1)(ii): The employer did not ensure that the employee in charge conducted a job briefing that met paragraphs (c)(2), (c)(3), and (c)(4) of this section with the employees involved before they start each job:    (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure an employee in charge conducted a job briefing that discussed the hazards associated with the job, work procedures involved, special precautions, energy source controls, and personal protective equipment requirements. On September 9, 2017, a job briefing was not conducted and an employee contacted a 14.4kV line without taking any special precautions or utilize the necessary PPE to be protected during the process of handling conductors during an outage and overhead power pole replacement. This condition exposed an employee to burns, shock, and electrocution hazards.

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $3696.00 · Current $3000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(g)(2)(iv)(C)(1): (1) Each employee working from an aerial lift did not use a travel restraint system or a personal fall arrest system.      (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure that an employee who was aloft in a raised aerial lift bucket was using a travel restraint system or wearing a full body harness with a lanyard attached to the basket. The employee was working in the basket handling electrical conductors in preparation for the placement of a new wooden pole. This condition exposed the employee to fall hazards of up to 24 feet.

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5174.00 · Current $4000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(l)(3)(iii): The employer did not ensure that no employee approached or took any conductive object closer to exposed energized parts than the employer's established minimum approach distance:    (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure an employee involved in an outage was protected from contacting an energized conductor within the minimum approach distance. On September 9, 2017, an employee worked within the minimum approach distance and contacted a 14.4kV energized conductor as a part of an outage and power pole replacement. This condition exposed an employee to burn, shock and electrocution hazards.     Abatement Note: 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 un-insulated 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.

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(l)(5)(ii): The employer did not ensure an employee worked from a position where he could not reach into the minimum approach distance, established by the employer under paragraph (l)(3)(i) of this section:  (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure the employee worked in a position that was outside of the minimum approach distance. On September 9, 2017, an unprotected employee was working directly below and in close proximity to conductors within the minimum approach distance, moving conductors by hand in preparation for a new power pole to be installed. The employee contacted a 14.4kV energized conductor and was severely shocked and burned as a result. This condition exposed the employee to burns, shock, and electrocution hazards.

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5174.00 · Current $5000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(l)(8)(iii): The employer did not ensure that each employee who is exposed to hazards from flames or electric arcs did not wear clothing that could melt onto his or her skin or that could ignite and continue to burn when exposed to flames or the heat energy estimated under paragraph (l)(8)(ii) of this section:     (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure employees were wearing rated clothing that would protect from flames and electric arc. On September 9, 2017, an employee wearing a non-FR rated hoodie sweatshirt contacted a 14.4kV energized conductor causing the sweatshirt to burn and continue to burn until the employee, working in a basket, was lowered to the ground. This condition exposed an employee to fire and burn hazards.     Abatement Note to paragraph (l)(8)(iii) of this section: This paragraph prohibits clothing made from acetate, nylon, polyester, rayon and polypropylene, either alone or in blends, unless the employer demonstrates that the fabric has been treated to withstand the conditions that may be encountered by the employee or that the employee wears the clothing in such a manner as to eliminate the hazard involved.

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5174.00 · Current $3000.00 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 may be supplied to the particular lines and equipment to be de-energized were open. The employer did not render such means inoperable, unless its design does not so permit, and then ensure that such means are tagged to indicate that employees are at work:    (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure that a visible open was established associated with conductors that were being moved to a new electrical pole. An employee attempted to open the OCR (Oil Circuit Recloser) by dropping the handle and de-energizing the conductor. The process was not effective and the conductor continued to be energized when an employee came into contact with the 14.kV line. This condition exposed an employee to burns, shock, and electrocution hazards.

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $0.00 · Current $0.00

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(m)(3)(vi): After the applicable requirements in paragraphs (m)(3)(i) through (m)(3)(v), the employer did not ensure that the lines and equipment were de-energized by testing the lines and equipment to be worked with a device designed to detect voltage:  (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure a 14.4 kV phase conductor was de-energized by utilizing electrical voltage testing equipment to verify prior to allowing employees to work in close proximity to the line. On September 9, 2017, an employee was shocked and severely burned as a result of contacting a 14.4kV energized conductor. This condition exposed employees to burns, shock and electrocution hazards.

Issued

2018-01-08 00:00:00

Abate by

2018-02-02 00:00:00

Penalty

Initial $5174.00 · Current $3000.00 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.269(n)(3): Temporary protective grounds were not placed at such locations and arranged in such a manner that the employer could demonstrate will prevent each employee from being exposed to hazardous differences in electric potential:     (a)Cherry-Todd Electric Cooperative, Inc. @ Pole #1476 located on Rosebud Cut-Across Road, Mission, SD 57555: On and before September 9, 2017, the employer did not ensure employees were protected from hazardous differences in electric potential by establishing temporary protective grounds. On September 9, 2017, an employee contacted a 14.4kV conductor and was severely shocked and burned as a result of not installing protective grounds as a means of protection during the process of moving existing conductors to a new pole. The condition exposed employees to burn, shock, and electrocution hazards.      Abatement Note: Note to paragraph (n)(3): Appendix C to this section contains guidelines for establishing the equipotential zone required by this paragraph. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will deem grounding practices meeting these guidelines as complying with paragraph (n)(3) of this section.