WASHINGTON - The safety of airport traffic control tower personnel is the focus of an inspection targeting program titled "Federal Aviation Administration's Airport Traffic Control Tower Monitoring Program," which monitors how workers clear a control tower in case of fire and other emergencies. The inspection targeting program, conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), examines the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) air traffic control towers' provision of safe means of egress, or exit, for workers at FAA-owned and -operated towers.
The program requires the FAA to bring towers into compliance with the alternate standard for egress and fire safety. OSHA inspectors will inspect randomly selected towers to determine if the FAA is meeting this requirement. A description of OSHA's alternate standard is available at http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10114.
Current guidance based on the FAA's alternate standard allows for a single exit route where the building size, occupancy level, type of construction and workplace arrangement is such that all workers would be able to evacuate safely during an emergency.
"This agency's fundamental responsibility is to protect workers from unsafe workplaces," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "Those who work in airport traffic control towers risk their safety if exit routes are not in place in the event of a fire. OSHA recognizes the importance of this inspection program and is confident that monitoring compliance with this standard will result in fewer worker injuries and deaths."
The standard also includes requirements such as incorporating fire detection and alarm systems, fire suppression equipment and emergency action plans. The standard currently covers 386 towers, of which 190 have been certified by the FAA as being in compliance.
For information on the inspection targeting program, visit http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/Directive_pdf/FAP_01-00-005.pdf.
7.31.2009
OSHA Focuses Inspection Program on Safety of Airport Traffic Control Tower Personnel
7.30.2009
34 Texans Hospitalized After Co-Worker Sprays...Perfume
FORT WORTH, TX -- Perfume sprayed by a co-worker caused almost 150 people at a Texas bank call center to become ill. Initially, fire officials suspected the sickness was caused by toxic fumes, such as carbon monoxide.
A total of 34 co-workers were taken to hospitals, of which 12 were transported by ambulance. Medics treated 110 co-workers at the workplace.
When two co-workers complained of dizziness, an announcement was made instructing anyone with similar symptoms to exit the building, said Fort Worth fire Lt. Kent Worley.
It is not known what type of perfume caused the sickness.
7.29.2009
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA Levies $85,360 in Proposed Penalties to Dehler Manufacturing, Chicago, for Workplace Health Violations
CHICAGO -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Dehler Manufacturing Co. Inc. with 24 serious, four repeat and six other-than-serious violations of federal workplace health standards and has proposed $85,360 in penalties.
OSHA opened its inspection in February after receiving a health hazard evaluation report from the National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The ensuing inspection revealed hazards cited as serious which are associated with hearing damage, lack of personal protective equipment, potential exposure to hazardous chemicals and the lack of a hazardous communication program. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Repeat violations addressed problems with the respirator program, lack of medical evaluation and fire extinguisher inspections. OSHA issues repeat violations when it finds a substantially similar violation of any standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facilities in federal enforcement states.
"Providing a healthful workplace is a challenge that all employers must be encouraged to meet," said OSHA Area Director Diane M. Turek of the Chicago North OSHA office.
The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with the OSHA area director or contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
7.28.2009
U.S. Labor Department's OSHA Proposes $314,000 in Penalties Against Dana Container, Inc.
CHICAGO -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed $314,000 in fines against Dana Container Inc. of Summit, Ill., for alleged willful, serious and repeat violations of federal workplace safety standards.
As a result of a safety and health inspection, OSHA has cited the company for three willful violations with a proposed penalty of $210,000. The willful citations address the company's alleged failure to have adequate written programs and permits required for working in confined spaces and not insuring proper working conditions before allowing workers to enter those confined spaces. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.
The company also has been cited for 16 serious violations with proposed penalties of $86,500. Some of the citations allege the company failed to provide proper training and procedures on uses of personal protective equipment such as respirators; review permit space entry operations and permit required confined space programs; install guardrails on elevated runways; provide proper identification and warnings on hazardous material tanks; and provide an adequate hazard communication program. A serious citation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.
Dana also has received one citation for a repeat violation with a penalty of $17,500. The alleged repeat violation addresses failure to provide emergency eyewash and a safety shower for employees working with corrosive materials. OSHA issues a repeat violation when it finds a substantially similar violation of any standard, regulation, rule or order at any of an employer's facilities in federal enforcement states when an initial one previously was cited.
"Injuries and fatalities from accidents such as asphyxiation due to overexposure of hazardous gases are preventable," said Gary Anderson, OSHA's area director in Calumet City, Ill. "Employers must remain dedicated to keeping the workplace safe and healthful or face strong enforcement actions by OSHA."
Dana Container Inc. is a tank washing company that employs about 375 workers nationally. Its facility has been inspected seven times by OSHA, including two inspections after worker fatalities, and the company has received numerous citations from these past inspections.
The company 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.
7.27.2009
Meet Cindy Holladay
SafetyCertified is excited to introduce you to our newest team member, Cindy Holladay. Cindy will be an integral part of our IT department as a web application developer. In this role, Cindy will support new and continued development of www.safetycertified.com.
Cindy has been developing web sites in a corporate environment for over 10 years. She supported a major telecommunications company (AT&T) for many years, doing everything from COBOL to mainframe IMS to UNIX to Client-Server development. She took a brief break from programming and worked in the role of Human Factors Engineer, where she gained experience building online and other user interfaces from a usability point of view. She continued to support AT&T while working for IBM on an outsourcing contract, supporting a variety of web platforms including ASP, ASP.NET and J2EE. Recently, Cindy worked in a commercial web environment for Turner Broadcasting Systems where she developed front-end web pages for NBA.com.
Cindy has an undergraduate degree from Tift College at Mercer University in Macon, GA in Behavioral Sciences. She did additional undergraduate work at the State University of West Georgia in Carrollton, GA in Mathematics and Computer Science.
Cindy lives in the metro-Atlanta area where she enjoys the symphony, art museums and other city attractions. She also enjoys movies, family, and is a big LOST fan.
Welcome, Cindy!
7.24.2009
Meet the Expert: Paul Shay
Prior to joining SafetyCertified, Paul spent 10 years as Director of Instructional Design & Development at VisionPoint, Inc. And prior to that, nearly 10 years at American Media, Inc. in a similar capacity. He has over 20 years of experience in the leadership, project management and performance management fields with an emphasis in rich-media instructional design and development. In addition to developing off-the-shelf training programs for VisionPoint and American Media, he has designed over 700 custom classroom, elearning, and blended training solutions for organizations across the country. Some of his more well-known clients include Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), Costco, the US Department of Justice, the US Navy, the United Nations, The GAP, Kiwanis International and The Principal Financial Group. A recognized expert in his field, he has extensive product development team management experience and has received over 50 national and international awards for his work as an instructional designer and writer.
Of course, like many of us, Paul has not exactly traveled a straight line to get to this point in his career. In previous lives he was: a professional actor (seriously, made a good living at it for 4 years), a playwright (who actually got things produced), a sales professional (sold 35mm cameras back when they actually needed film and then sold high-end suits to people who made a lot more money than he did), a construction worker (built three-story blast freezers for food companies that make frozen pizzas, among other things), an entomology research assistant for a state university (he can tell you more about European corn borer moths than you'll ever want to know) and, finally, a night janitor at a junior high school (what a culturally enlightening experience to see what teenagers throw in the trash….).
A graduate of Drake University, Paul enjoys listening to jazz and classical music, spending time vacationing on the Oregon coast with his wife, river fishing, and reading historical fiction and science fiction novels.
7.23.2009
Syracuse Plant Faces Violations from OSHA after Employee Death
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited a Specialty Metals Company for 71 alleged serious and repeat violations of safety and health standards following the Jan. 15 death of a worker at the company's Syracuse manufacturing plant.
The employee died when he slipped while attaching a water line to a roller mill and became caught in the machine's rotating shafts. OSHA's inspection found that the machine's moving parts were not guarded against contact. The inspection also identified a wide range of additional safety and health hazards throughout the plant.
"This accident shows how even one instance of an unguarded machine can cost a worker's life," said Christopher Adams, OSHA's area director in Syracuse. "Safeguarding workers against death, injury or illness on the job requires that all applicable safety and health requirements be met at all times."
OSHA issued the company 68 serious citations for various fall, electrical, fire, exit access, crane, personal protective equipment, confined space and materials storage hazards as well as numerous other instances of unguarded machinery at the plant. The agency has proposed $179,000 in fines for those items. OSHA issues serious citations when death or physical harm is likely to result from hazards that the employer knew or should have known.
"Left uncorrected, these conditions expose employees to potential burns, explosions, crushing injuries, electrocution and falls, and must be addressed promptly, effectively and completely," said Adams. "One means of maintaining safe and healthful working conditions is to establish and implement an effective safety and health management system through which employees and management actively and continually evaluate, identify and eliminate work hazards."
7.22.2009
Ask the Expert
7.21.2009
Ask the Expert
A. Formaldehyde is regulated by OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1048. The various requirements that must be met are determined, in part, by the level of employee exposure to formaldehyde. The exposure limits are 0.75 parts per million expressed as an eight-hour time-weighted average, and, 2.0 parts per million expressed as a fifteen-minute time-weighted average. These exposure measurements are to be taken from the breathing zone of employees. Therefore, it is difficult to state how the measurement of 55 ppm taken inside your storage cabinet would relate to actual employee exposure in the breathing zone. However, please consider that a concentration of 100 ppm is immediately dangerous to life and health. Please note that under paragraph (d) of the standard, the employer is required to monitor employees to determine their exposure to formaldehyde.
If the current storage practices result in employee exposure, engineering and work practice controls would need to be implemented to reduce the employee exposure. These controls could possibly include providing exhaust ventilation for the cabinet. Formaldehyde is considered a Class IIIA combustible liquid, with a flash point of 185 degrees Farenheit. 29 CFR 1920.106(d)(3) limits the maximum quantity of Class IIIA liquids stored in a cabinet to 120 gallons.
OSHA has a Fact Sheet on their website that provides more guidance on the management of formaldehyde in the workplace. The OSHA Formaldehyde Standard can also be consulted for more information.
7.20.2009
One Giant Leap for Mankind… Celebrated 40 Years Later
SafetyCertified salutes the astronauts, scientific minds, and all the people that put back-breaking sweat into making this the 40th anniversary of man landing on the moon.
On July 20, 1969, half a billion people watched as Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon.
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," he said, before imprinting his boot in the lunar dust. The televised images were relayed to Earth from a camera mounted on a leg of the Apollo 11 lunar module. Armstrong was joined on the moon by fellow crewmember Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. Above them a third astronaut, Michael Collins, orbited in the mission's command module.
Armstrong and Aldrin spent only a few hours on the moon setting up some simple experiments. They left their footprints, a United States flag, and a plaque that reads: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the Moon—July 1969 A.D.—We came in peace for all mankind."
Only 12 people have walked on the moon, the last two in December 1972. In 2004 U.S. President George W. Bush committed the country to a return to the moon, starting with a robotic mission by 2008 and a human mission as early as 2015 .The plan is to eventually use the moon as a stage in missions to Mars and beyond.
If you cannot view the amazing restored video of Apollo 11 Moonwalk above please click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbwZL-EK6CY
7.17.2009
ALERT: The Federal Minimum Wage Increases
The federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees will increase to $7.25 per hour starting Friday, July 24, 2009. To ensure you are in compliance with posting regulations, visit our extensive poster selection at our bookstore http://www.oshaanswerbook.com
We even offer subscription plans where we'll keep track of the mandatory posting changes for you!
7.16.2009
French Man Dies After Madonna’s Stage Collapses
Two additional people, one British and one American, were severely injured in the accident at the Stade Velodrome, and four were lightly injured, Officer David Goddin told CNN.
"At this point we don't know how it happened, but we are confident no one else is still under the rubble," Goddin said.
About 27 fire engines and 80 firefighters responded to the emergency when the stage collapsed at 5:15 p.m. (1515 GMT).
"There were a lot of open fractures, of injuries, it was a messy sight," one of the rescue workers told Agence-France Presse.
There will be a further investigation to see what cause of the collapse was. The French do have a version of OSHA known as the EU-OSHA. You can check out their requirements and procedures here. http://osha.europa.eu/fr/rss-feeds/
7.15.2009
The Most Common Injuries and Illness in the Workplace
“Sprains and strains” remain the most common injury in the workplace. In recent studies, they accounted for 41 percent of all workplace injuries requiring days out of work. In fact, more than 4 out of 10 of injuries and illnesses were sprains or strains, most involving overexertion or falls.
Common Illnesses in the Workplace
The most common workplace illnesses are cancers from exposure to hazardous substances, musculoskeletal diseases, and respiratory diseases caused by exposure to pathogens and hearing loss. Asbestos-related disease such as lung cancer and asbestosis caused by inhalation of asbestos are also common. Workplace illnesses pose a greater problem because you may not have symptoms until years after the damage was caused.
SafetyCertified is committed to keeping employees safe. We have a large resource library of Written Programs, Policy & Procedures, Safety Meetings, Checklists, and more to help you create a safe and productive workplace.
OSHA has ranked the most fatal accidents in the workplace below:
Fatal Facts by Fact NumberNo. 01 Fall from Different
7.14.2009
Search Warrant Executed in Construction Site Deaths
"The mast tower and how it is assembled show the manner in which Company was negligent in assembling the unit," the affidavit says. "OSHA safety compliance officer Michael Jarvis also explained that the remaining eight platform sections currently being stored in the parking garage at 2101 Rio Grande will help to reconstruct and ultimately show the cause of the failure."
Items seized during the search include mast tower sections, a 3D survey of the mast tower, and bolts and nuts from scaffolding inside the parking garage.
All three victims were not United States citizens. Therefore, OSHA will be working closely with other branches of the government in their investigation.
7.13.2009
OSHA Offers Tips on Working Safely in Hot Weather – Plus FREE resources for you!
WASHINGTON -- The hot, hazy days of summer are here. The heat can be especially harmful for those who work outdoors in direct sunlight or in hot environments, making them susceptible to heat-induced illnesses such as heat stress, heat exhaustion or the more serious heat stroke.
"Working in extreme temperatures is not only uncomfortable, it can be life-threatening," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "As we move into the summer months, it is important for workers and their employers to minimize the chances of heat-induced illnesses, and imperative that they recognize the signs of heat stress and take proper precautions to reduce the chances of illness or death."
High temperature and humidity, physical exertion and lack of sufficient water intake can lead to heat-related stress. Symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke include confusion, irrational behavior, loss of consciousness, abnormally high body temperature and hot, dry skin.
OSHA advises workers to take preventive measures such as reducing physical exertion and wearing light, loose-fitting clothing. The agency advises employers to provide workers with water and regular rest periods in a cool recovery area.
Here are some FREE resources from OSHA that can be downloaded for your convenience:
· "Protecting Workers from the Effects of Heat" and "Working Outdoors in Warm Climates" are OSHA fact sheets that explain heat stress and provide recommendations to protect workers from exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
· "Protecting Yourself in the Sun" provides employers and workers with more practical tips for guarding against UV radiation. It is a pocket-sized card and addresses various forms of skin cancer.
SafetyCertified is always working towards the safest environment for employees. We offer the following resources to make sure that you or your coworkers are prepared for anything:
FREE Resources:
· Heat Stress PDF - Free in this Blog only
· The Heat Stress Program - Free in this Blog only
Sign up for our Management tool for a reasonable yearly price!
· HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT - only $19.95 each!
7.10.2009
OSHA Investigating Whistleblower's Claims
New York- OSHA investigated claims by 4 railroad "whistleblower" employees regarding work-related injuries. OSHA required that the railroad payback lost wages, fees, and punitive damages of $300,000.00. "Railroad employees have the right to report occupational injuries and illnesses without fear that doing so will negatively affect their jobs, their health, or their income," said Jordan Barab, acting U.S. assistant secretary of labor for safety and health. "Retaliating against employees for exercising this basic, legally protected workplace right is unacceptable."
The injuries were obtained in 2007 and 2008, and the employees completed whistleblower complaints with OSHA. The employees complained that the railroad took disciplinary action because they reported their injuries. The result was that the railroad interfered with their treatment plans or reclassified their injuries. OSHA investigated the complaint and found it valid. OSHA has mandated the railroad to take corrective actions in the following ways: expunging disciplinary actions, compensating the workers for lost wages or out-of-pocket medical expenses with attorneys' fees, amending the policy regarding work-related sick leave, and pay each employee $75,000.00 each in punitive damages. The railroad has the normal time frame to fight the complaint or comply.
7.09.2009
Cars as Hot as Chicken Soup
"Be aware that it's a very hot day," Frank Urias, with Austin- Travis County EMS, said. "Wear a hat, put on sunscreen, drink water constantly."
One thing you should not do is leave a child or pet by themselves inside a car.
A demonstration put on by Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Wednesday stuck a thermometer inside a car and let it sit for about 30 minutes before the temperature inside reached 140 degrees.
The heat resembles being immersed in a hot bowl of chicken soup. The big message: do not leave children or pets in a car, even if it's just for a few minutes.
"We could easily have an unconscious person in 10 minutes or less and it could easily be fatal in 15 minutes," Urias said.
Here are some tips to help keep your car cool:
- Windshield shade not only for the front window, but also get one for the back window.
- If your budget allows it, buy a remote starter. When you exit the car in the morning, set the AC to a pretty high level; about 5 min before you need to get in the car, start it up remotely, and by the time you get to the car it'll be cool enough to deal with and you can turn the AC back down.
- Alcohol in a spray bottle can cool down an overheated interiorquickly, just spray in the air and as it evaporates, cools.
- White or lighter colored cars help reflect heat.
7.08.2009
Removal of Ceiling Asbestos
OSHA has cited a three companies in Baton Rouge, La jointly for three willful and 10 serious violation of health and safety regulations.
The alleged penalties total $112,000.
The willful violations were cited for the following reasons: failure to provide a trained person to supervise the removal of ceiling asbestos, provide required equipment for workers that are infested with asbestos. Willful violations stress disregard or the plain indifference to the requirements of OSHA.
"Serious violations included failing to monitor for asbestos materials, to utilize engineering controls to determine and minimize employee exposure to asbestos, to provide and ensure the use of personal protective equipment, to properly manage contaminated clothing and asbestos containing waste and to train employees engaged in the removal of asbestos. Serious violations are issued when there is a substantial probability that death or serious injury and/or illness could occur from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known." (OSHA.com)
All companies have the standard 15 days from the citation to request a conference with Baton Rouge area director or to contest the citations to OSHA for the review commission.
7.07.2009
Prevent Heat Stress, Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke
The summer months bring heat, direct sunlight and extreme heat. Those three things can lead to heat stress, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. "High temperature and humidity, physical exertion and lack of sufficient water intake can lead to heat-related stress. Symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke include confusion, irrational behavior, loss of consciousness, abnormally high body temperature and hot, dry skin." (OSHA.com)
It is imperative that employers maintain and implement. OSHA.com provides the following fact sheets that provide information for protecting workers: " Protecting Workers from the Effects of Heat", "Working Outdoors in Warm Climates" and "Protecting Yourself in the Sun". OSHA also advises the employers to provide water, regular breaks and a cool place to recover.
7.06.2009
5 Die in Independence Day Fireworks
Smoke is seen across Ocracoke Island, N.C. Saturday, July 4, 2009 after a truckload of fireworks exploded … Sun Jul 5, 7:54 pm ET
OCRACOKE, N.C. – Five people working on Independence Day fireworks shows were killed by explosions, four of them by a single blast that rocked this remote village on the Outer Banks.
The fifth died after an explosion at a fireworks show in Pennsylvania, police said.
In another holiday accident, a pedestrian bridge collapsed in Indiana as fans were leaving a fireworks show, injuring 25 people. Authorities said Sunday the crowd had overloaded the bridge.
The blast at Ocracoke came as workers were unloading fireworks Saturday from a truck at the Anchorage Marina, shaking homes and businesses across the southern end of Ocracoke Island and rattling residents and tourists.
Earl Woodham, a spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said agents determined the cause was accidental. ATF will not investigate further, but a workplace safety agency such as the state Labor Department likely will try to find the specific cause, he said.
Dock master Robert Raborn was about 200 yards away from the truck and said the explosion was one of the loudest things he had ever heard.
“It was like 40 minutes worth of fireworks going off in four seconds,” Raborn said.
One of the workers died at the scene Saturday and three others died later at area hospitals, including one who died on Sunday, said Hyde County spokeswoman Jamie Tunnell.
Another person was listed in fair condition at the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center at the UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill.
The Ocracoke victims worked for Melrose South Pyrotechnics near Rock Hill, S.C. The company said it had sent a representative to work with investigators.
Meanwhile, a silent parade was held Sunday in tribute to the victims and the people who responded to the explosion, following the intended route of Saturday’s Independence Day parade.
In Pennsylvania, state police fire marshals were investigating the death of a worker Saturday at the start of the grand finale of fireworks at Quakertown’s Memorial Park.
Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree said authorities immediately halted the show and evacuated part of the park in eastern Pennsylvania.
Authorities did not immediately identify the man’s employer.
At Merrillville, Ind., the collapse of a wooden pedestrian bridge dropped at least 50 people into a lake Saturday night and injured about half of them, police said. None of the injuries was life-threatening, authorities said.
The collapse occurred at Hidden Lake Park in Merrillville, about 45 miles southeast of Chicago, as spectators were leaving a fireworks display at about 10 p.m.
The wooden, cable-suspended bridge could support about 40 people at a time but as many as 80 were on it when it gave way, said Ross Township Trustee John Rooda, who attended the fireworks show. The township operates the park.
“The problem is it was overloaded,” Rooda said.
In Albuquerque, N.M., a man watching a fireworks show was killed by lightning from a thunderstorm Saturday evening and his wife was also injured, police said. Names of the victims were not released and authorities said the woman was listed in stable condition at a hospital.
And in Missoula, Mont., an 8-year-old girl was accidentally electrocuted and two other children were injured while watching a fireworks show Saturday night from a church rooftop. Missoula County Sheriff Mike McMeekin said the children had climbed on some air-conditioning equipment.
Home fireworks shows also proved dangerous.
In Wisconsin, Jefferson County Sheriff Paul Milbrath said a 12-year-old boy suffered a head injury when he was hit by one of the pyrotechnics fired at a July Fourth party. The boy was taken to a hospital in Milwaukee. His name and condition weren’t released.
The Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital in Birmingham, Ala., treated five patients who were hurt in fireworks accidents, spokeswoman Gail Short said Sunday.
Flames from fireworks damaged at least seven homes in western Washington state and destroyed some ranch housing near Harrah on the Yakama Indian Reservation, causing more than $2 million in damage, authorities said.
Article by Associated Press
7.02.2009
Ask the Expert
They have told us not to slope the banks. Do archeologists have an exemption from OSHA standards? If so how would OSHA view us for digging the excavation?
A. There are no blanket exemptions from the OSHA standards applicable to the field of archeology. The applicable Federal OSHA standard is 29 CFR 1926 Subpart P - the standard may be different if you are working in a state with their own State OSHA Program. The Federal standard requires that protective measures be implemented when the depth of the excavation exceeds five feet (or even at shallower depths if the competent person feels that hazards are present). Please note that sloping is only one of the potential protective measures available to properly prepare the excavation for entry. In addition to protective measures in the design of the excavation, the standard requires other precautions be implemented including, but not limited to, inspections by a competent person, suitable means of egress, and atmospheric monitoring if a hazardous atmosphere could reasonably be expected to exist.
7.01.2009
Protect Against Electrical Hazards
deenergizing electric equipment before inspection or repair,
keeping electric tools properly maintained,
exercising caution when working near energized lines, and
using appropriate protective equipment.
Employers should have a safety program implemented to help measure and control electrical hazards. The program should state OSHA requirements and regulations as well as the individual business' safety set up. Every employee has the right to a safe work environment. "To assist employers and employees in developing effective safety and health programs, OSHA published recommendedSafety and Health Program Management Guidelines( Federal Register 54(18):3904–3916, January 26, 1989). These voluntary guidelines can be applied to all work sites covered by OSHA.
Please see OSHA.com for safety requirements for general industry and construction electrical safety.
General Industry: Subpart S of 29 CFR Part 1910, in Sections 1910.331–1910.335
Construction: Subpart K of 29 CFR Part 1926.416 to 1926.417
