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Bob D.
01-05-2009, 12:50 PM
Effective January 12, 2009, OSHA can start issuing per employee citations for violations of PPE and training to. Under the new rule the multiplication factor is the number of employees.

For additional information follow the link below:


http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/E8-29122.htm


DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
29 CFR Parts 1910, 1915, 1917, 1918 and 1926
[Docket No. OSHA-2008-0031]
RIN 1218-AC42

Clarification of Employer Duty To Provide Personal Protective
Equipment and Train Each Employee
AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S.
Department of Labor.
ACTION: Final rule.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In this rulemaking, OSHA is amending its standards to add
language clarifying that the personal protective equipment (PPE) and
training requirements impose a compliance duty to each and every
employee covered by the standards and that noncompliance may expose the
employer to liability on a per-employee basis. The amendments consist
of new paragraphs added to the introductory sections of the listed
Parts and changes to the language of some existing respirator and
training requirements. This action, which is in accord with OSHA's
longstanding position, is being taken in response to recent decisions
of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission indicating that
differences in wording among the various PPE and training provisions in
OSHA safety and health standards affect the Agency's ability to treat
an employer's failure to provide PPE or training to each covered
employee as a separate violation. The amendments add no new compliance
obligations. Employers are not required to provide any new type of PPE
or training, to provide PPE or training to any employee not already
covered by the existing requirements, or to provide PPE or training in
a different manner than that already required. The amendments simply
clarify that the standards apply to each employee.

DATES: This final rule becomes effective on January 12, 2009.


Moral of the story is if you have 10 or more employees you'd better CYA and give your people the required training.
OSH Act of 1970 (http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owasrch.search_form?p_doc_type=OSHACT&p_toc_level=0&p_keyvalue=)

How is OSHA doing on enforcement efforts? How many were injured last year? How many were killed?
Find out here in this summary for 2008 enforcement data published by OSHA (http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/2008EnforcememtData120808.html).

HVAC HAWK
01-05-2009, 06:48 PM
thanks Bob i will copy this and give it to my boss

tailgunner
04-23-2009, 06:13 AM
Don't get me started on those arc-flash suits us electricians and now the HVAC folks are going to be forced to wear.

Bob D.
04-23-2009, 04:13 PM
Don't get me started on those arc-flash suits us electricians and now the HVAC folks are going to be forced to wear.

Arc Flash suits for HVAC work?

Looking back I can see why. I was an apprentice and jobbing in a medium size shop here. For a few months I worked with one of the HVAC guys doing his grunt work. Anyway, we were up on the roof at a big dept. store and he was taking the side cover off the electrical panel on a roof top unit which was still energized and running. I was headed down to the truck to grab some tools, freon, and the gauges and was walking away from the unit while he was removing the panel. It slipped out of the track and fell into the panel and contacted a lug where the 480V power came into the panel. The panel was still in contact with the cabinet and shorted out with a huge flash and bang, and threw Ron away from the unit. He landed on the roof on his back with the metal panel (about 30" x 48") on top of him. I ran back to see if he was OK (or still alive I was probably thinking back then). He had some burns on the palm and fingers of his one hand. Not blistered but serious none the less. But he was alive and had all his fingers and toes. I ran down to call for help (no cell phones in the early 70s ya know) ran into the manager of the store and got him to call. I called the shop and let them know what had happened.

Don't know what the condition of the unit was but I don't think it was damaged much if at all. Ron was out of work for a couple weeks and I got put with someone else and never got back there to work on the HVAC. Next I remember being there I was cleaning out the grease trap in the snack bar. :(

Arthur96
04-23-2009, 05:40 PM
WHAT!!!! You mean i cant go to work in my Bermuda shorts and flip-flops anymore? what a world.:(

EasyEman
04-23-2009, 05:57 PM
WHAT!!!! You mean i cant go to work in my Bermuda shorts and flip-flops anymore? what a world.:(


You can but you have to wear the dark dress socks with them.