The million dollar question…

Can you just use the PPE Charts in the NFPA?

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been asked that question… it seems like a fair question while discussing the need to conduct an Arc Flash Analysis. After all, the NFPA 70E states that a person “Can” use those charts to simply choose what PPE to wear while working in an electrical enclosure. OSHA makes it very clear that a worker must have and use the correct PPE. In fact, as we have seen so many in recent years they will fine employers up to a half million dollars should the employee be caught without the correct PPE.

Having been faced with the opportunity to discuss this issue with several facility Safety Directors who, for some strange reason want to argue about keeping their workers safe, I thought I would shed some very important light on this subject.

Let’s take a close look at the regulation…

NFPA 70E Section 130.7(9) says you are allowed to use the PPE chart in lieu of an Arc Flash Hazard Analysis if… and here is the big “IF”… The electrical supply circuit upstream has a minimum requirement of “a maximum of 25,000 short circuit amps, AND the clearing time of the protection device is less than 2 cycles”.

First off, without a short circuit study, there is no way to know the short circuit current upstream to every point that your workers may be exposed, and without a protective device study there is very little way to know the clearing time of the protective devices in the circuit. This information is what is calculated and studied in an “Arc Flash Analysis”.

So, in short, while the NFPA does give you another method to determine the level of PPE needed at every panel, you still need the information gathered by a typical Arc Flash Analysis to determine if you can in fact use the PPE Chart!

Dave Carpenter, Electrical Engineer

ITU President

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Severe Violators Enforcement Program (SVEP) directive becomes effective June 18th. The agency announced in April that it was implementing the program to focus enforcement efforts on employers who willfully and repeatedly endanger workers by exposing them to serious hazards. The directive establishes procedures and enforcement actions, including increased inspections and mandatory follow-up inspections for work sites where a company has a pattern of violations at other sites. click to dowload: OSHA Instruction PDF

US Labor Department’s OSHA fines US Postal Service nearly $300,000 for exposing workers to electrical hazards at Pittsburgh, Pa., facility
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service for workplace safety violations related to electrical hazards found at the Pittsburgh mail processing facility located at 1001 California Ave. Proposed penalties total $299,500. OSHA initiated an inspection in October 2009 in response to a complaint alleging the hazards. Inspectors cited the Postal Service with four willful violations carrying a penalty of $265,000; one repeat violation, with a penalty of $25,000; and two serious violations with a penalty of $9,500. “The Postal Service’s blatant disregard for workplace safety standards has left workers at this facility exposed to unnecessary risk of serious injury,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. The willful violations include inadequate training for employees exposed to electrical hazards, failure to provide electrical protective equipment to protect employees from arc-flash hazards and electrical current, and failure to use appropriate safety signs, safety symbols or accident prevent tags to warn employees about electrical hazards. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health. The repeat violation is due to the facility’s failure to use approved covers for electrical junction boxes. A repeat citation is issued when a substantially similar violation is found at any of an employer’s facilities in federal enforcement states within three years of a previous citation. The serious violations include the use of an unapproved junction box in a wet and damp location, and a failure to provide voltage-rated tools. OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard. The Postal Service has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Pittsburgh Area Office; telephone 412-395-4903. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-6742. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information visit OSHA.gov.

Over the past few years, I have encountered people who are charged with the “Safety” programs, or who are acting as “Safety” managers in facilities. Some have led me to question their sole purpose. What I mean is while those individuals are qualified to read the NFPA, they seem to forget their entire purpose… which is to provide a safe work environment for the workers at their facility. We see on the network news from time to time, the results of these people. From those who lost their lives in the deep mines in Virginia, to the sad loss of life down in the Gulf on BP’s oil rig explosion. In most cases, it’s the “save money – not lives” attitude that gets these companies in trouble almost every time.

Let’s take the Electrical Safety issues for instance. Recently, a large organization was in the process of complying with OSHA’s requirements for electrical safety based on OSHA 1910.333. Those being to provide the “Proper” PPE for workers charged with repairing and maintaining electrical systems and equipment in their facilities. In the midst of the implementation of proper Arc Flash Surveys, or Arc Flash Analysis as some call it, a young lady was hired as the new safety person from a another company (after you read this you may figure out why the other company let her go). This new person was “Dead” set on stopping the entire process… I suppose to save money… and asserted that the Arc Flash Analysis was not needed. She was proud to announce that she had found a “Magic Loophole” in the NFPA requirements called on by OSHA as the “Industry Consensus” to provide a safe electrical work environment. She had found the two big “Exceptions” in NFPA 130.3, for those of you who may not have found this “Magic” way of avoiding having and arc flash analysis, here are the basic details. Exception #1- If your electrical system is so small it doesn’t have enough wallop to hurt someone, and then you don’t have to do an arc flash analysis. Exception #2- If you put on a whole bunch of PPE every time you work on something, then you don’t have to do an arc flash analysis.  How about that! Finally a way around the Arc Flash Survey debacle!

While the exception number one seems easy enough to understand, it’s the second exception that seems to get us into trouble… or at least it’s what got her into trouble. That exception actually states that if the requirements of NFPA table 130.7(C)(9) AND 130.7(C)(10) AND 130.7(C)(11) are met and followed… you don’t have to do and arc flash study, arc flash analysis, or arc flash survey ( all the same thing ). Sounds great doesn’t it… finally a way around doing the expensive arc flash surveys! Well… there is only one little thing I have to show you… The charts that this NFPA exception are talking about have some very specific things that need to be done in order to allow a company to get by without an arc flash survey. Let’s look at the first table… assuming that your electrical equipment is 600 volt class equipment as is most of the electrical equipment found in industry, You will read that you can read panel meters , do thermography, operate switches, switch breakers on and off, and other things wearing very minimal PPE. However, in every case, when you open doors or covers to expose energized electrical conductors, you must wear Category 4 PPE. The second chart tells us that we must wear the following; Arc-rated long sleeved shirt, Arc-rated long pants, Arc-rated coveralls, 40 calorie arc flash suit jacket, 40 calorie arc flash suit hood, 40 calorie arc flash suit pants, Arc-rated rain wear as needed, a hard hat, FR hard hat liner, Safety glasses or goggles, hearing protection, Arc rated gloves, and leather work shoes. The NFPA Handbook states that you still have to know the “available fault current”, “duration of the arcing fault”, and “distance between the worker and the arcing fault”. To get this data, you need and arc flash analysis.

So there you have it… you don’t need to do an arc flash analysis! Simply supply every worker with those 13 items listed there, and make sure they wear it any time they open any one of those electrical cabinets and you’re in the clear!  Seriously, I believe what the NFPA has intended by giving us this exception, is to be able to repair or work on an electrical cabinet that has not yet been surveyed or does not have the Arc Flash data label on it. You just have to put on all the PPE you can!

Dave Carpenter

(Dave is an Electrical Engineer and President of Industrial Training University, and a featured speaker, and instructor on issues regarding electrical safety and safety regulations. Dave and ITU is a leading supplier of OSHA electrical compliance services such as arc flash analysis in the United States and abroad. With clients such as General Electric, Coca-Cola, US Navy, US Army, Prairie Farms, Hospitals, Airports, Major office buildings, as well as hundreds of major brands and companies across the globe.)

Region 10 News Release: 10-820-SEA (10-179) June 21, 2010 Contact: Jeannine Lupton Phone: 206-553-7620
US Labor Department’s OSHA proposes $77,500 in fines against US Postal Service for electrical hazards at Portland, Ore., mail processing facility
SEATTLE – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited the U.S. Postal Service for alleged willful and serious violations of safety standards at the Portland, Ore., Processing and Distribution Center, located at 715 N.W. Hoyt St. An OSHA inspection conducted in response to employee complaints resulted in a total of $77,500 in fines for electrical hazards and a failure to adequately lock out machines’ power sources to prevent unexpected startups. “The Postal Service disregarded basic electrical safety practices, which left workers at this facility exposed to unnecessary risk of serious injury,” said Richard S. Terrill, OSHA regional administrator in Seattle. OSHA’s inspection found workers were performing tests on live electrical equipment and doing so without adequate personal protective equipment, safety-related work practices and warning signs, as well as working on equipment that had not first been de-energized. As a result of these conditions, OSHA has issued the Postal Service one willful citation with a proposed fine of $70,000. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health. In addition, two serious citations with $7,500 in fines have been issued for failure to adequately lock out machines’ power sources to prevent unexpected startup during servicing and for inadequate insulation on electric cables. OSHA issues serious citations when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from hazards about which an employer knew or should have known. The Postal Service has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with the OSHA area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. This inspection was conducted by OSHA’s Portland Area Office; telephone 503-326-2251. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at 800-321-6742. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

An Ohio contractor was electrocuted Thursday morning at a Hazle Township plastics plant, according to state police.

Steven A. Koffel, 47, of Canton, Ohio, was fatally shocked when his hand touched a live wire in a control panel while repairing an air compressor inside Pretium Printing, state police at Hazleton said Monday. Koffel, a service technician employed by Gardner Denver, was called to Pretium Printing in the Humboldt Industrial Park to repair machinery, plant manager Jack Brown said.

Hazle Township Fire Chief Scott Kostician said the department was called in for assistance around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. The department set up a landing zone for a medical helicopter but Koffel was taken to Hazleton General Hospital by ambulance. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Article Source: citizensvoice.com

A 25-year-old man was electrocuted in the boiler room of a Holiday Inn on Bloor St. W. near St. George St. on Wednesday afternoon.

Toronto Const. Tony Vella said police initially responded to a call from a co-worker who said a male had been electrocuted on the 15th floor of the hotel at 280 Bloor St. W. The caller said the victim had difficulty breathing.

An EMS spokeswoman said he was taken to a local hospital, but was without vital signs.

Police said the man was not an employee of the building. He was a contract worker doing work in the boiler room for a connected building that was shared by the hotel.

Staff Sgt. Shawn Meloche added that police received the call shortly before noon.

“It looks like some kind of industrial accident,” Meloche said.

The Ministry of Labour has sent inspectors to investigate the incident, confirmed William Lin, a spokesperson for the ministry.

An employee at the hotel front desk would only say, “Things are a bit chaotic.”

An employee at the Fox and Fiddle pub attached to the hotel described a number of EMS workers converging on the hotel and taking a man out on a stretcher.

With files from Lesley Ciarula Taylor

Article Source: thestar.com

NEW KENSINGTON,Pa — The medical examiner has identified the man electrocuted while painting a New Kensington Habitat for Humanity complex.

Forty-eight-year-old Paul Thompson of Pittsburgh was working at the facility on Industrial Boulevard Wednesday when he somehow came in contact with high voltage power lines.

Thompson and a co-worker had just finished painting the outside of the building and were on the roof when the accident happened.

Diane Belitskus, the executive director of the Allegheny Valley Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, said that the co-worker told her he tried desperately to revive the man.

“He saw burn marks on the man and he wasn’t hopeful he was going to be OK,” Belitskus said.

Thompson was working for Modern Painting and Decorating, which is based in Springdale.

Article Source: wpxi.com

TAMPA — A Tampa Electric Co. lineman was in critical condition Monday evening after an electrical shock, officials said.

Police and firefighters responded to Dona Michelle Drive and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard about 10:20 a.m. and found John S. Hudson, 35, unconscious, said Fire Rescue Lt. Danielle Spradlin.

Hudson had been working on an electrical line from an insulated bucket truck when his body came in contact with the 7,620-volt power line, police said. The shock caused severe burns.

His co-workers lowered him to the ground and began CPR until Fire Rescue workers arrived and took him to University Community Hospital. Hudson was stabilized and taken by helicopter to Tampa General Hospital.

In 2008, 35 people were killed while installing and repairing electrical power lines in the country, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Article Source: tampabay.com

WILDWOOD– On monday, May 24, at approximately 6:30 p.m., members of the Wildwood police and fire departments responded to 3200 block of Boardwalk, in connection to a reported structure fire. Upon arrival on the scene, it was determined that a painter identified as Tilemahos Mavridis, 62, Middle Township man was operating a scissor style lift when the lift came into contact with high voltage power lines. Mavridis was utilizing the lift to paint the north side of a building located at 3220 Boardwalk, when the lift came into contact with the power lines disrupting service to the immediate area.

The fire department was eventually successful in retrieving Mavridis from the lift platform subsequent to Atlantic City Electric company employees turning off the power feeder to the high voltage lines. A substantial number of city residents and businesses were without power while the rescue was completed, however, power was eventually restored to most city residents. Mavridis was treated and transported to the cardiac unit, of Atlanticare Regional Medical Center, Mainland Division, in Galloway Township. Mavridis suffered chest pains as a result of the incident, medical status is currently unknown.

The immediate area of the incident has been barricaded as the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to respond and conduct a separate investigation. The scissor lift sustained extensive damage as a result of the incident and was welded to concrete boardwalk pedestrian ramp, during the contact with the high voltage power lines.

Article Source: capemaycountryherald.com

THE NSW DEPARTMENT of Primary Industries has issued an alert after a mine maintenance contract fitter received a severe electric shock from a power tool.

The fitter was working on the screening level of a processing plant. He was shocked by a 240V double insulated hand-held impact power tool which was being prepared for storage after use.

The contract worker was removing the drive socket from the metallic chuck of the impact tool. He was not wearing gloves, and held the drive socket in one hand and the tool pistol grip handle in the other.

The worker received a 240V electric shock across the body from hand to hand, resulting in large area burns to the left hand and a single point burn to the right hand. He was hospitalised for three days.

According to investigations, the tool was plugged into a 20m, heavy duty, 10A extension lead which was plugged into a 240V socket outlet on a lower level of the plant. Electrical protection did not operate to remove the power.

The power tool and extension lead had in date inspection tags. However, the power tool chuck insulation failed due to fine dust/grim contamination on the inside of the tool. Additionally, an external metallic screw in the power tool pistol grip handle cover had penetrated one of the insulated supply conductors.

According to the DPI, where the use of electric power tools can not be eliminated, there should be tools that substitute the hazard of portable 240V tools with a portable tool that gives rise to as low as reasonably practical risk.

These alternatives include extra low voltage battery-operated power tools. Additionally, any tool used must be fit for purpose, and maintained in a satisfactory condition.

Aricle Source: safetowork.com

MORRISTOWN — Damage to the Morristown and Morris Township Library from an underground explosion is worse than expected, and it may remain closed for many months until repairs can be made, officials said.

The stone structure’s original historic section dating back to 1917 on South Street sustained severe damage Monday around 9 a.m. after an explosion ripped through the basement and first floor. Other blasts also took place in nearby manholes under South Street. No one was hurt and the cause of the explosions remains under investigation by Jersey Central Power & Light.

Officials who got their first look today at the devastation inside said it was worse than a similar underground electrical blast in 1994 that closed the library for six weeks.

Morristown Business Administrator Michael Rogers and Fire Chief Gary Desjadon said Monday’s explosion caused the following damage: an 8-inch-thick concrete first floor slab heaved upward and cleaved; walls buckled; furniture was blown apart; interior and exterior doors were blown off hinges; windows were shattered; books and materials were mangled and strewn about and a water pipe burst.

“It’s far-more extensive than I thought. It’s a bomb-like explosion,” Rogers said. “All I can say is we are incredibly fortunate nobody was killed.”

Library director Susan Gulick, who has worked there since 1985 and became director four days before the 1994 explosion, said, “This is so much worse (than 1994). A big cement floor slab heaved up. Metal doors are all bent like chocolate in the sun. It just makes you sick. I don’t know why the street keeps blowing up, but it’s got to stop.”

Subterranean electrical and manhole explosions have plagued Morristown over the years. After manhole blasts in December and February, the Morristown Council demanded that JCP&L discuss the issue at a meeting in March.

Monday’s explosions occurred just as library employees evacuated after seeing lights flicker and a smoking manhole. Firefighters arrived just as the blast blew doors off and shattered windows.

The town closed the library due to the damage. A notice posted on the building declares it “unsafe for human occupation.”

JCP&L spokesman Ron Morano said Monday there was a “fault,” meaning malfunction, of underground wires serving the library and a church next door, but later said it was too early to speculate what caused the blasts.

Then late today Morano said the utility now believes a “cable fault” did not cause the blast because such malfunctions typically may blow off a manhole cover, but would not have caused an explosion that produced as much damage as in the library. He said JCP&L has not yet been given access to the library’s interior for examination, and the utility will hire an “independent expert” to assist in its investigation.

“We’re as interested as anyone else in fully understanding what led to (Monday’s) incident and to determine what steps can be taken, if necessary, to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future,” Morano said. “There still remain too many unknowns as to speculate a root cause, including a JCP&L cable fault.”

“A cable fault wouldn’t cause the level of damage we’ve seen,” he said. “We know our cables were damaged. We don’t know that that’s what led to the events that transpired. We’re not shifting any blame. The investigation needs to be completed.”

Rogers said there has been a history of these types of underground incidents. “They’re going to have some explaining to do.’’ he said. “This is not a normal occurrence and we find it unacceptable.”

Most of the “priceless” archives in the building’s damaged section may be salvageable, but the library likely will remain closed for “many months,” said Rogers and Gulick. It is hoped that newer library wings not directly damaged could reopen sooner.

• Underground explosion closes streets in Morristown

Article Source: nj.com

BEAVER DAM – Fred Stiemsma was watching a professional trees service trim the old hickory in his lakefront lawn Monday when one of the workers went down.

“He was lying here,” Stiemsma told TODAY’S TMJ4 reporter Tom Murray. “It looked like he was dead or close to it.”

When the 21-year-old man touched his company’s bucket truck, a crippling jolt of electricity sent him flying and knocked him out. The tree is near a power line, although it’s unclear what part of the truck came in contact with an electric current.

Stiemsma called 911.

“My wife came running out and started giving chest compressions,” Stiemsma said.

The dispatcher gave instructions to a couple with no CPR training.

Stiemsma is heard on the 911 recording asking, “How do you check for breathing?”

“You’ve just gotta look listen and feel for it, get down by their face and see if you feel anything,” replied Communication Officer Dave Zirbel.

Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Homan arrived at the home on Airport Road with a defibrillator. He administered at least two shocks before paramedics arrived.

The Beaver Dam Fire Department further assisted with the desperate, seemingly bleak rescue attempt.

“For the start of a very bad day, I think we gave him the best chance he could get,” said Fire Chief Alan Mannel.

Survival seemed dim even as a medical chopper flew the victim to Madison. But on Friday, the man was said to be talking with his family and improving at University of Wisconsin Hospital.

“He’s had banter a little bit with his folks and girlfriend,” said Bob Biel, owner of K&B Lawn and Tree Care. “It’s your worst nightmare to see one of your fellas go down like this.”

The Stiemsma’s were thankful to learn the victim is expected to recover.

“I would positively say he was brought back to life,” Fred Stiemsma said.

Article Source: todaystmj4.com

PARSIPPANY — The Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued several violations against two township-based clothing companies for exposing its employees to hazardous conditions.

The two companies, Salonika Associates LLC and Alfred Dunner Inc., have offices at a building on 200 Walsh Drive. Both specialize in making women’s clothing.

The violations total $51,750.

Of that, OSHA issued $46,350 worth of violations against Salonika Associates LLC., the distribution center for Alfred Dunner Inc. The violations include allegedly having an inadequate lockout/tagout program that details specific procedures on operating equipment to prevent injury, a lack of machine guarding, a deficient hazard communication program, electrical circuit boxes not being covered, electrical switches not being clearly marked and inadequate respiratory protection program.

Against Alfred Dunner Inc., OSHA issued $5,400 worth of violations.

“All of these violations leave workers vulnerable to hazards that can result in injury and illness,” said Phillip Peist, director of OSHA’s Parsippany office, in a statement. “By establishing an effective comprehensive workplace safety and health program that engages employees to proactively evaluate, identify and eliminate hazards, the companies will be better positioned to ensure an overall safe and healthful work environment.”

Alfred Dunner Inc. manufactures women’s clothing and accessories and Salonika serves as the company’s distribution center. Both have offices on 200 Walsh Drive. 

Brian Buccieri, director of human resources for the company, said during a telephone interview that the company disagrees with OSHA’s findings. 

“Those citations are under contest,” he said. He declined to elaborate. 

Buccieri said he didn’t know how many employees currently work for the company. 

The violations identified by OSHA were based on findings from an inspection it did at the facility last Nov. 2.

Article Source: dailyrecord.com

Importers Service Corp.

A Jersey City manufacturer has been cited for three dozen violations and fined nearly $160,000 by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), federal authorities said.

Importers Service Corp., located on Suydam Avenue, failed to lock out energy sources and exposed workers during the maintenance and repair of equipment to potential injuries. Importers Service Corp. manufactures gum products used by the food, beverage, pharmaceutical and technical industries.  

OSHA initiated its inspection on Nov. 10 as part of a program designed for industries with high injury and illness rates. The company, which OSHA says has 36 employees, received citations for two willful violations, with a penalty of $98,000; 33 serious violations, with a penalty of $60,500; and one other-than-serious violation, which carries no penalty, OSHA said in a statement.

A representative of Importers Service Corp. did not immediately return a call for comment.

“Each of these violations leaves workers vulnerable to hazards that can result in serious injury and illness,” said Phil Peist, director of OSHA’s Parsippany Area Office. “The company has a legal obligation to provide a safe and healthful environment for workers.”

The willful violations address the company’s deficient lockout/tagout system, which is used to control the release of hazardous energy. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with plain indifference to employee safety and health.

The serious violations include a lack of training, electrical hazards, inadequate personal protective equipment, failing to implement an adequate hazard communication and respiratory protection program, and failing to properly handle confined spaces.

OSHA issues a serious citation when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard.

“By establishing an effective comprehensive workplace safety and health program that engages employees to proactively evaluate, identify and eliminate hazards, employers are better positioned to prevent workplace hazards,” said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York.

OSHA officials said Importers Service Corp. has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The investigation was conducted by OSHA’s Parsippany Office. To report workplace accidents, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, call OSHA’s toll-free hotline at (800) 321-5742.

Article Source: nj.com

An electrician doing work at a Downtown Jersey City high-rise was rushed to the hospital yesterday with life-threatening second- and third-degree burns after power was restored to an electrical switch he thought was turned off, officials said.

Police were called to Pershing Plaza at 95 Christopher Columbus Drive at 12:06 a.m. and found the 47-year-old electrician lying face down on the first floor, reports said.

EMS rushed him and a 33-year-old electrician, who suffered minor burns to his left forearm, to the trauma center at Jersey City Medical Center, reports said.

But the burns to the 47-year-old were so severe, he was airlifted to the Burn Unit at St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston at about 3 a.m., Fire Director Armando Roman said.

The 47-year-old was listed in critical condition yesterday.

Both men work for Scholes Electric & Communication in Piscataway, reports said.

The less injured victim told police that his co-worker was changing a switch after checking that power had been shut down for the work. He said that while working on the switch, PSE&G restored power, reports said.

At that point, there was a large flash followed by an electrical fire that burned both victims, reports said.

David Hollenbeck, a spokesman for PSE&G, said that the cause of the accident is under investigation but a PSE&G crew working with the building engineer was advised that the contractors had completed their work and began to restore power.

When a PSE&G employee heard a flash he stopped restoring power immediately, Hollenbeck said.

Scholes Electric could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Police have notified the state Occupational Health and Safety Administration about the incident, reports said.

Article Source: nj.com

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Mueller Copper Tube Products, a subsidiary of Mueller Industries Inc. in Wynne, Ark., with safety and health violations following an inspection at the company’s worksite on North Falls Boulevard.

The privately held corporation, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., owns and operates 20 facilities located in eight states and two foreign countries. Proposed penalties total $70,675.

OSHA’s Little Rock office began its investigation on Jan. 27.

The plant was cited for four serious violations including failing to provide chains on platforms to protect workers from falling, to ensure workers were knowledgeable about the proper use of compressed air, and to repair or maintain electrical conduits.

Two repeat safety violations were issued for failing to provide machine guarding and to ensure shafts were adequately guarded. The serious and repeat safety violation penalties total $48,500.

The health inspection portion brought seven serious, one repeat and one other-than-serious violation with proposed penalties totaling $22,175.

Serious violations include failing to provide monitoring of noise levels, to ground and bond flammable and combustible liquids during transfer and to provide personal protective equipment.

The repeat violation was issued for failing to properly label containers.

Mueller Copper Tube Products employs about 2,000 workers in Arkansas, California, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Canada and England — about 372 of whom are located at the Wynne facility.

In January, OSHA issued three Mueller Industries Inc. subsidiaries in Fulton, Miss., with 128 citations for exposing workers to safety and health hazards.

The citations resulted from an investigation in July 2009 after a maintenance worker employed by Mueller Copper Tube Co. was killed and two other workers were injured when naphtha, a flammable liquid of hydrocarbon mixtures, leaked from an electric pump and ignited.

The penalties total $683,000, and the company has contested the citations and penalties.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of these latest citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director in Little Rock, Ark., or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Source: OSHA

Article Source: claimsjournal.com

A frightening electrical injury to an operating room nurse highlights the need to update electrical safety policies for the operating room, according to the June issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

A change in electrical codes designating all operating rooms as “wet” locations could prevent such injuries, making the OR environment safer for patients as well as operating room personnel, according to the new report. The lead author was Dr. John H. Wills of University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque.

Wet Conditions Lead to Electrical Risks in Operating Room

The injury occurred during a routine operation, when a nurse was asked to plug in a piece of equipment. There was water on the OR floor from the use of irrigation equipment. While kneeling on the floor with one hand on the plug of the equipment and the other hand on the electrical junction box, the nurse felt a powerful electrical shock traveled up her arm and into her jaw, knocking her backward. The injured nurse had a ruptured eardrum and missed two weeks of work due to vertigo.

An electrical safety evaluation found no malfunction in the surgical equipment, power cord, or junction box. The circuit breaker supplying power to the operating room had not tripped. Although no definitive cause of the accident could be established, it was likely related to the presence of liquid from either from routine OR cleaning or the irrigation fluid inside the junction box.

The circuitry in the 40-year-old operating room was fully compliant with current National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) electrical codes. Yet it lacked two features that would have prevented the injury: an interruptible power supply (IPS) or ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

In the past, when inflammable and potentially explosive anesthetic drugs like ether were used, all operating rooms had IPSs. As these drugs were replaced by newer, nonflammable anesthetics, electrical safety standards were changed to allow areas of the hospital to be designated as “dry” areas, if they were not normally subject to wet conditions.

Suggested Code Revision Could Make ORs Safer

“The designation of ORs as dry locations seems illogical to the minds of many anesthesiologists,” according to the authors. Fluid spillage is common in many common operating room procedures including procedures using irrigation equipment. Yet under the “dry” designation, many operating rooms function without electrical safety precautions that are standard in other settings. “It appears incongruous that GFCIs are required in home bathrooms and kitchens, but IPSs or GFCIs are not required in ORs,” Dr. Wills and colleagues write.

In a recent review of standards, the NFPA proposed designating ORs as “wet” locations although one key professional organization opposed the change. It is unknown whether the change will be incorporated in the latest revision of the NFPA standards, expected later this year.

In an accompanying editorial, Drs. Steven J. Barker and D. Jon Doyle echo the call to revise the codes. “It seems to us that anyone (or any agency) who believes that the OR is a ‘dry’ location has never spent any time in one,” they write. “Yes, there may be ORs that can usually be kept dry. But ‘usually’ is not good enough for this situation, wherein the hazard is great and the precautions for avoiding said hazard are rather simple and inexpensive.”

About the IARS

The International Anesthesia Research Society is a nonpolitical, not-for-profit medical society founded in 1922 to advance and support scientific research and education related to anesthesia, and to improve patient care through basic research. The IARS contributes nearly $1 million annually to fund anesthesia research; sponsors an annual forum for anesthesiology leaders to share information and ideas; maintains a worldwide membership of more 15,000 physicians, physician residents, and others with doctoral degrees, as well as health professionals in anesthesia-related practice; sponsors the SAFEKIDS initiative; and publishes the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia.

About Anesthesia & Analgesia

Anesthesia & Analgesia was founded in 1922 and was issued bi-monthly until 1980, when it became a monthly publication. A&A is the leading journal for anesthesia clinicians and researchers and includes more than 500 articles annually in all areas related to anesthesia and analgesia, such as cardiovascular anesthesiology, patient safety, anesthetic pharmacology, and pain management. The journal is published on behalf of the IARS by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW), a division of Wolters Kluwer Health.

Source: International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS)

Article Source: medicalnewstoday.com

Swinging Boom arm of truck, touching the powerlines

AUBURN, Wash. – Two workers were killed on the job by a propane explosion at Ferrell Gas in Auburn Wednesday evening.  

The first call came into Valley Regional Fire as a truck fire, but it was quickly discovered that two workers were missing.  

When firefighters arrived shortly after 5 p.m., the fire had engulfed a truck and nearby propane tanks.  

After extinguishing the flames, firefighters said they saw two victims on the driver’s side of the truck.  

Chopper 7 arrived shortly after and Pilot Clark Stahl could see the scorch marks left by the fire as well as a metal boom touching live power lines.  

Auburn Police Sgt. Scott Near told KIRO 7′s Deborah Horne the workers were moving the large propane tanks. One man operated the boom while the other acted as a spotter.  

Near said the boom must have strayed onto the nearby power lines which ignited the fire. 

Near described their injuries as “consistent with an electrical burn and a fire burn as well.”

 When asked what caused the fire Near said, “It’s a tragic accident but it does look like an accident.”  

The names of the men have not yet been released and an autopsy is expected to take place on Thursday.

Atricle Source: kirotv.com