The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Precision Surveillance Corp., Bigge Crane and Rigging Co., Siemens Power Generation Inc. and Entergy Operations Inc. for 26 safety violations after one Precision Surveillance worker was fatally injured when a crane collapsed at the Arkansas Nuclear One Power Plant in March. Eight other workers were hurt.
Precision Surveillance Corp. is being cited for one serious violation with a penalty of $6,300 for failing to provide an effective communication system to alert the operator or signalman through an emergency stop signal. Bigge Crane and Rigging Co., Siemens Power Generation Inc. and Entergy Operations Inc. are being cited for failing to comply with crane-related hazards.
Bigge Crane was cited for nine serious violations with a penalty of $56,700, while Siemens was cited for nine serious violations with a penalty of $63,000. Entergy is being cited for seven serious violations with a penalty of $49,000. Proposed penalties for all violations total $175,000.
"This tragedy could have been prevented had the employer ensured vital safeguards to protect workers from potential hazards and proper planning for a project of this magnitude," said Carlos Reynolds, OSHA's area director in Little Rock, Ark. "OSHA will hold the employers accountable for not meeting their workplace safety and health responsibilities."
For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
