Four companies were cited for 30 safety violations for the death of a worker at the Arkansas Nuclear One plant.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Precision Surveillance Corp., Bigge Crane and Rigging Co., Siemens Power Generation Inc. (NYSE: SI) and Entergy Operations Inc. (NYSE: ETR) for the violations after a worker with Precision Surveillance died when a crane collapsed at the plant in March. Eight other workers were injured.
Precision Surveillance 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. The other three companies are being cited for failing to comply with crane-related hazards. Bigge Crane is also being cited for nine serious violations with a penalty of $56,700, and Siemens is being cited for nine serious violations with a penalty of $63,000. Entergy was cited for 11 serious violations with a penalty of $49,000. A serious violation occurs when there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known, according to OSHA.
“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. “OSHA will hold the employers accountable for not meeting their workplace safety and health responsibilities.”
The companies have 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference or contest the findings.
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