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By Daniel Baxter |
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March 23, 2011 - The U.S. Department of Labor's
Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued
Notices of Unsafe or Unhealthful Working Conditions to
the Federal Aviation Administration's Lakefront Airport
Air Traffic Control Tower in
OSHA began an inspection on Sept. 22, 2010, as part of
its Airport Air Traffic Control Tower Monitoring
Program, which found violations of the Alternate
Standard for Fire Safety in Airport Traffic Control
Towers. Notices have been issued for six alleged repeat
violations and one alleged serious violation. Repeat violations include improper use of electrical equipment such as relocatable power taps; failing to correct deficiencies in the fire alarm system and stair tower pressurization system; failing to provide a facility emergency action plan and a fire prevention plan; and failing to ensure fire drills are performed. |
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A repeat
OSHA notice is issued when a federal agency has been cited
previously for the same or a substantially similar condition
within the same OSHA region during the past three years. The FAA
was cited in 2009 and 2010 for similar violations at other sites
in the region.
The
serious notice was issued for failing to provide a facility
compliance program. A serious notice is issued when there is
substantial probability that death or serious physical harm
could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or
should have known.
As
required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, federal
agencies must comply with the same safety standards as private
sector employers. The federal agency equivalent to a private
sector citation is the Notice of Unsafe and Unhealthful Working
Conditions.
The notice
is used to inform establishment officials of violations of OSHA
standards, alternate standards and 29 Code of Federal
Regulations citable program elements. OSHA cannot propose
monetary penalties against another federal agency for failure to
comply with its standards. The FAA has 15 business days from
receipt of the notices to comply or request an informal
conference with OSHA's area director in |
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