ECN Forum Forums Safety Discussion and News Safety News and Product Recalls Top 10...OSHA Violations (according to Leviton)

<threadjack, slightly related>

OSHA Prof,

I think NEsparky said in another thread that he figured out that it would cost something like a year and a half of gross business income to fully outfit one truck and crew with PPE and 1000V tools.

Like him, I can only comply if:

1) I get a very large government grant.
2) I get you and Joe T. to "clean house" in my locale.
3) You and Joe T. set up enforcement in this area to keep me competitive.

I see no other way.

</threadjack>

[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 01-04-2003).]

I don't think anyone on this forum is against compliance and jobsite safty.If every county in every state had the same standards,osha or otherwise,an ec's job would be much easier. I think Virgil says it pretty well. All we can do is try our best!

Grizz,
our brothers, sisters and general public bears the risk of an entirely inequitable system to this day......

to this end, we, the EC's,like it or not
(and i do not) are OSHA's emissaries in the field.

i feel that any safety issue, if not a funded mandate ,merely amounts to fodder for the litigate sorts in this country beacuse it has no means to reach those intended.

as is said, if i only had a nickle...


i would consider a hard look at the efficy of the overallsystem before i would conclude 'ignorance of safety' to be no excuse.

by overall , the fortune 500's and thier glowing adherance , pales in true numbers to all the small change in the world.

Let's add a real life senario shall we?

Upon pulling up to my child's daycare (some years ago), the owner stated how her wonderful husband had just installed a wading pool for the kiddies....one of those two foot deep jobs, w/ pool pump motor.

In viewing the this wonderous amenity i noted the pump motor sitting on the deck adjacent to the pool, the toddelers gleefulyy playing 'splash' all around it.

As a matter of fact, it was positioned to fall into the pool quite well on said deck..

Naturally, they had no idea of GFI protection ( no, it was NOT hardwired), nor had they ever HEARD of a GFI....i'm sure the manufacturers instructions alluded to the proper 'local codes' disclaimer......

This in itself screams volumes....

Now one could say, quite the couple of turnips right? But how long have GFI's been around?

So, being of quite the concern, i wired it up properly, no charge, hey it's MY KID in the pool too .....

Had i taken the 'offical' route i'm sure there would have been sufficent time passed via bueracracy to possibly make good on this immmenent danger.

Not to mention, i'd be out daycare, and branded more of a prima-donna than i already am.

Point?

~the systems had 30 yrs, it's dfloundering at best.....

~many here can attest to similar situations where we, those in the field , take up the slack

~and finally, should the powers that be ever corner me, remember, YOU OWE ME !

thank you.

Other authorities requiring the same compliance as OSHA, including “all States” is briefly addressed in post by Andy Shockmore on 1/3/2003 located at http://www.oshazone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=022233bb7325006acdfbd1dcc65ca12b&threadid=7

“year and a half of gross business income to fully outfit one truck and crew with PPE and 1000V tools”
This is not possible nor is it an accurate statement unless the EC is a part time low volume operation. Want to know what is requires and it really costs, check out “Andy Shockmore” post of 1/3/2002 at
http://www.oshazone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=022233bb7325006acdfbd1dcc65ca12b&threadid=6

What it all boils down to is priorities, and as we seem a nation of risk takers, our goverment in reality places safety as a very low one.

Go here if you doubt me.

On a recent job, hung 2 floodlites in rear of house.These floods were close to 30ft. from ground level,because of width of soffit, usual ladder setup would not work.Spent 8 hrs. rounding up proper ladders,ladderjacks,walkboard etc.all were listed for weight etc.The carpenters watched all this with much amusement and pointing.All that to hang 2 little floods they said.And no I did,nt have that much in the price to hang 2 floods.Should we have to remind everyone that its not safe to lean off a ladder hold on to the gutter with one hand and hang the flood with the other? If i'd tried to force a helper to do it wrong throw the book at me by all means!Common sense and morality cannot be legislated.

OSHA Prof.:

As the poster who started this thread, I'll provide what was listed on Leviton's website as a means of contacting them. The only connection (pardon the pun) I've ever had with them is via purchase of some of their products.

Leviton Mfg. Company Inc.
59-25 Little Neck Pkwy.,
Little Neck, N.Y. 11362-2591
Phone 718-229-4040
Fax 1-800-832-9538
Tech Support 1-800-824-3005

http://www.leviton.com/sections/contact/general.htm

OK, so the numbers I gave I can't back up (maybe nesparky can)...

What PPE and tools do I need for live panel work (can't pull the meter without an act of congress) ? For example: Installing breakers, etc. Don't forget the 1000V torque-tools. (Nothing more than 240V, 120V to ground)

What about troubleshooting? If I don't do it hot, I'll need one of those expensive circuit tracers...

My company is survivng on nothing but shear enthusiasm right now, even a couple of grand worth of tools is a daunting proposition.

I'd gladly make myself a "good example" to the trade and help you fight the good fight, but I need finacial backing to do it.

I'm dead serious.

I'm already the only EC in my area "playing by the rules" as far as the NEC is concerned, but adding OSHA regs on top of that would destroy any chances of my business surviving without someone else footing the bill.

The way I see it, if we all had the proper gear, installed things by code, and complied with OSHA and every other organization 100% of the time, a simple bulb change would cost $500 minimum, and would be a six month wait.

Sorry to continue a threadjack...

[This message has been edited by sparky66wv (edited 01-04-2003).]

I would think that 100% compliancewith all the regs would force alot of us "low volume guys"out of existence. I survive on a shoestring as it is and it breaks at least once a week!