NTSB Safety Recommendation P-77-014

NTSB safety recommendation P-77-014.

AMEND ITS REGULATIONS TO INCLUDE ALL POSSIBLE TOXIC SUBSTANCES OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS THAT MIGHT REASONABLY BE FOUND IN VAULTS AND MANHOLES AND TO REQUIRE THAT PERSONS ENTERING THESE AREAS BE PROVIDED WITH APPROPRIATE DEVICES TO TEST THE ATMOSPHERE BEFORE ENTERING TO INSURE THEIR SAFETY.

Priority: CLASS III

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1977-06-24

Adopted Date: 1977-06-10

Overall Date Closed: 1996-06-24

Synopsis: ON MARCH 26,1977, THE BUFFALO POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED GAS ODORS IN A TELEPHONE COMPANY MANHOLE NEAR 1446 SOUTH PARK AVENUE. NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY CHECKED THE VAULT BELOW THE MANHOLE FOR GAS. HIS COMBUSTIBLE GAS INDICATOR (CGI) INDICATED A FULL-SCALE READING ON ITS SINGLE, LOWER-EXPLOSIVE LIMIT SCALE, HE RADIOED FOR ADDITIONAL HELP. A THREE-MAN, EMERGENCY REPAIR CREW ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND REMOVED THE MANHOLE COVER TO VENT THE GAS FROM THE VAULT. THE REPAIR CREW WAS COMPOSED OF SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL BECAUSE REGULAR GAS COMPANY EMPLOYEES WERE ON STRIKE. THE CREW FOREMAN WALKED DOWN THE STREET TO DETERMINE THE LOCATION OF THE GAS MAIN BY EXAMINING PAVING PATCHES OVER PREVIOUS REPAIRS, WHILE THE OTHER TWO MEN REMAINED AT THE MANHOLE. THE FOREMAN HEARD ONE OF THE MEN CALL FOR HELP. HE FOUND ONE MAN ON A LADDER IN THE MANHOLE HOLDING THE OTHER MAN, WHO WAS UNCONSCIOUS. THE MAN ON THE LADDER THEN LOST CONSCIOUSNESS AND BOTH FELL BACK INTO THE MANHOLE. FIREMEN, WEARING OXYGEN MASKS, REMOVED THE BODIES FROM THE MANHOLE. THE REPAIRMEN HAD NOT USED THE RESPIRATORY DEVICES WHICH WERE ON THE GAS COMPANY TRUCK.

Ntsbnumber: DCA77FP020

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: United States Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1996-06-24

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1978-11-27

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: OSHA LTR: THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (NIOSH) AT THE REQUEST OF OSHA HAS COMPLETED A CRITERIAL DOCUMENT FOR THIS PROBLEM AREA. THIS DOCUMENT IS BEING REVIEWED BY OSHA AND DOES COVER WORK IN CONFINED SPACES. THE FINAL CRITERIA DOCUMENT IS EXPECTED FROM NIOSH IN THE NEAR FUTURE. OSHA WILL THEN PROCEED WITH STANDARD DEVELOPMENT. OSHA REQUESTS THAT NTSB COMMENT ON FEDERAL REGISTER PUBLICATION OF STANDARD.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1988-08-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA) IS CURRENTLY COMPLETING A PROPOSED RULE TO ADDRESS HAZARDS OF ENTERING AND WORKING IN CONFINED SPACES. THIS PROPOSAL WILL BE RESPONSIVE TO NTSB'S RECOMMENDATIONS P-77-13 AND -14 IN THAT CONFINED SPACES, SUCH AS VAULTS AND MANHOLES, WOULD BE REQUIRED TO BE TESTED FOR OXYGEN DEFICIENCY, FLAMMABLE ATMOSPHERES, AND TOXIC SUBSTANCES BEFORE EMPLOYEES ENTER, OR OTHER MEASURES MUST BE TAKEN TO ELIMINATE OR CONTROL CON FINED SPACE HAZARDS SO THAT EMPLOYEES MAY ENTER SAFELY. WE EXPECT THE CONFINED SPACE PROPOSED RULE TO BE ISSUED IN NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-03-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AS NOTED IN PREVIOUS CORRESPONDENCE, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE ADDRESSED BY OSHA'S PROPOSED STANDARD FOR CONFINED SPACES. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS PROPOSED STANDARD WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER IN LATE SPRING 1989.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1996-06-24

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: STAFF CONTACTED OSHA PERSONNEL TO LEARN THAT THE CURRENT FORM OF LABOR REGULATIONS 29 CFR 1910.268 ,1910.269 & 1910.146 REQUIRE THE TESTING OF ATMOSPHERES IN ALL UNDERGROUND VAULTS & MANHOLES. TESTS MUST BE DONE FOR OXYGEN DEFICIENCY FLAMMABLE ATMOSPHERES, & TOXIC SUBSTANCES. 29 CFR 1910.268 ALSO INCLUDES SAFETY STANDARDS THAT PROTECT WORKERS FROM ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION. LABOR REGULATION 29 CFR 1910.146 INCLUDES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR WORKERS FROM OTHER INDUSTRIES, 1910.268 IS FOR TELECOMUNICATION INDUSTRY WORKERS & 269.269 IS FOR POWER (ELECTRIC) INDUSTRY WORKERS, THAT MAY HAVE OCCASION TO ENTER THESE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AREAS. THE BOARD STAFF NOTES THAT OSHA HAS AMENDED ITS REGULATIONS AS THE BOARD RECOMMENDED: 29 CFR 1910.146 WAS AMENDED IN MAY, 1994, & 1910.268 WAS AMENDED IN JUNE, 1989. 29 CFR 1910.269 WAS MOST RECENTLY AMENDED IN OCTOBER, 1994.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1996-06-24

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD HAS LEARNED FROM OSHA STAFF THAT OSHA HAS AMENDED ITS REGULATIONS TO REQUIRE TESTING OF ATMOSPHERES, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD. BASED ON THIS INFO P-77-13 & -14 HAVE BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION.

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-06-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1979-01-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1988-08-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-02-09

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-05-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: OSHA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-08-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence