Nebraska Company Cited for Exposing Workers to Electrical Hazards

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued biofuel company Next Step Burwell LLC of Burwell, Neb., five serious citations and one willful citation for exposing employees to electrical hazards and failing to adequately train workers. Next Step Burwell LLC faces $60,000 in penalties.

OSHA cited the company following an investigation of an incident in which two workers were subjected to electric shock. A Next Step employee was shocked after being instructed to clean out a charged electrical wiring cable tray in which a combination of rain water and corn stalk dust had been allowed to accumulate. Subsequently, a subcontracted employee was fatally electrocuted after being asked to check the cable tray.

Serious citations were issued for failing to inform subcontracted employees of lockout/tagout procedures to prevent accidental start-up of machinery; failing to ensure that an adequate group lockout system was employed; allowing an unqualified person to work on or around energized circuits or equipment; a lack of guardrails on the floor area where the cable tray was accessed; and failure to guard or cap a rotating shaft end that presented an entanglement hazard.

The willful violation relates to the employer’s failure to de-energize live parts when an employee may have been working in the vicinity.

It has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director in Omaha, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Source: OSHA