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

ga.sparky56

Yup, that's what I mean. Only the "Fortune 500" would be left. The rest of us would get to work for them at best.

I mean no harm, OSHA prof, if I had your job I'd be just as gung-ho. That's one of the reasons I'm not an inspector yet, because I'd probably get shot from being too strict.

OSHA Professor:

"You make it sound like both a bad thing and a uniquely OSHA concept. Remember OSHA has very little electrical requirements that haven’ t been adopted from NFPA standards. Primarily NFPA 70 (NEC) and NAPA 70 E."

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That was from my post. However, I _NEVER_ made it sound like a bad thing.

All I made was a neutral observation about how the OSHA was backing up Joe Tedesco's rightful hatred for these improperly made up extension cords.

In fact, when he brought them up initially, I did remark that if I were an OSHA inspector (if there is such a thing), I would flag something like that at a worksite because the outlets can crack, water can leak into the box through the knockouts and the knockouts themselves can break off leaving yawning holes where someone could poke their finger through.

Keep in mind I'm not a professional electrician/inspector, etc. and I am here just because this subject interests me and I would like to learn how to do things safely.

To argue with the pros here (who do this sort of thing for a living) about wiring codes/procedures would be a sure sign of stupidity on my part.

You should think of the PPE gear the most important tools in your truck; it is just a cost of business like drills and sawzalls.

Look at the burn pictures Joe has put up, one of my friends got three fingers badly burned from a 277 volt 20 amp circuit.
They looked like Hot Dogs left on the grill all day

If he had at least his gloves on he could have avoided the pain.

Sometimes it seems like to many rules, but I like going home everyday in the same shape I left.

I think we all forget that working on live panels can go real bad real fast.

No dollar amount is worth not getting to play with my kids.

Sorry about the rant but it sucks to see coworkers exposed to risk that can be easily avoided.

As far as putting the small guy out of business, not to much sympathy here, as soon as you hire people to work for you, they must be protected.

That sounds harsh, I do want small shops to grow, but PPE is not something you should think of as an option.

It not that much easer on big shops, when we need to go into a manhole, get $7000 worth of safety stuff, Fans, atmosphere testers a tripod with winch to pull a guy up. and most times we are working manhole to manhole so get two of everything.
Bob

Iwire, What sparky66 and some others were trying to say, I think, is that if all ec,s in every county in every state were subject to the same rules and regulations then it would at least be a level playing field.With the present system this is not true.FYI I try to stress safty to any employee,and try to ensure that they use a little common sense.That is when I can afford employees. As for sympathy,I don't need it anyway.

Gentlemen:
Before we get into a pixxing contest here...
WVA66 stated that PPE gear is out of his range ($$), I think he means "for him", as I know he is a small shop.

Reading Virgils posts, and seeing some of his work, I feel he's a "good guy" who takes pride in his work, and does it by the book, or better. All of this in an area that has little or no inspection/permit requirements.
Is there an OSHA man in WVA, near Virgil??

If Virgil works something "hot" he's taking the risk himself. Yes, it's "not right" by the book, but where's he supposed to get the$$$$$$ for the flash shield, jacket, etc., etc.???? If he's not putting someone other than himself "at risk" that's his choice at the moment. If he had the resources that some others have, he probably would have "everything" he should have, and use it. How many guys have torque tools???, and use them???

John

My apoligies if I talked out of school. I didn't mean to talk for someone else.I would also buy and use the ppe if I could afford it,but I can't.Its all we can do to stay afloat bidding against people that don't even try to be code compliant,much less osha compliant. Russell

You guys that make the move into your own business I have great respect for, I could not, too much to worry about. And I truly wish you success.

Forget about OSHA and the NEC (for a moment)

How will your family afford to get buy if you are injured or killed. (please really think on this, what would happen if you can not bring in the $$)

I doubt that any of the electricians hurt or killed thought it would happen to them.

I believe in freedom of choice if you want to expose yourself to danger that's your choice.

But if you have people working for you that's different.

How will you feel calling somebody's spouse or parents to say there loved one is hospitalized or dead because they did not have protection?

IMHO If you can not afford Basic PPE you are not ready to be in business, any more then if you did not have a vehicle to carry your stuff to the job.

You would not have gone on your own without a truck, ladders, power and hand tools, all this cost a lot, but you found a way to pay for it.

This thread has opened my eyes. I have in the past routinely taken chances because I am "qualified".

I hadn't really thought about the message it sends to my apprentices or helpers.

I recently took a desk job again as the market slowed here, but I was a small 1 to 2 man operation. I also have worked as a super on jobs with 25 to 30 guys that followed my lead.

I have aways said that I would not want any body to do something that I would not do my self, and I have done some doozies(sp). How about pulling control wiring into energized 13.8kV gear in the rain with a metal fishtape? I wouldn't let anybody else do that, but I just showed them that it is really OK!?

I own some of the PPE you are talking about, blankets, gloves, etc., and it's a pain in the a** to use at times.

I will think twice next time I need to do hot work, and use the PPE required.

Just a quick check on the web found

Arc flash Jacket and Pants $550.00

Gloves $105.00

Blanket $100

add a helmet and face sheild

So for less then $1000.00 you could be much safer, less then what you probably paid for the computer you are sitting at calling me some sort of A** Hole

iwire:
I hope you don't think I was calling you names. I only mean to say the gear is a pain and that I will use it more often in the future. My apologies.