OSHA cited Red Simpson Construction in Shreveport, La., for safety violations totaling $70,000 following an electrical accident that injured one employee.
The OSHA investigation began in response to a complaint of an electrical accident that occurred on July 9. The accident resulted in the hospitalization of an employee who suffered third degree burns and the loss of both arms above his elbows.
Red Simpson employs approximately 1,500 employees company-wide and had four employees at the construction site on the day of the accident. The company''s headquarters is in Alexandria, La.
OSHA said the employer did not adequately guard or insulate energized parts or ensure that employees wore the appropriate personal protective equipment when working closer to the energized parts than the minimum distance required by OSHA standards.
"This company has been cited four separate times in the past three years for similar violations that resulted in an employee being electrocuted," said John Deifer, OSHA area director in Baton Rouge. "Basic safeguards were not followed at this job site. A combination of the use of personal protective equipment, adhering to safe work practices, and effective supervision could have prevented this accident and reduced the risks of electrical contact to the other workers."
by Virginia Sutcliffe