OSHA proposes $233,500 in fines against Home Goods for exit hazards

OSHA proposed $233,500 in fines against Home Goods for exit access, fire and crushing hazards at its Commack, N.Y., store. Responding to an employee complaint, OSHA found exit routes that were too narrow for passage, blocked by stock and equipment, or hidden by stacks of material. Other hazards included blocked access to fire extinguishers, workers not trained in fire extinguisher use, and boxes stored in unstable 8-foot high tiers. OSHA had cited Home Goods in 2006 and 2007 for similar conditions at the company's Mount Olive, N.J., and Somers, N.Y., locations. “It's been 99 years since the fire at The Triangle Shirtwaist Co. in New York City took the lives of nearly 150 workers and almost 19 years since two workers were killed when they were unable to exit the McCrory’s store in Huntington Station, N.Y., during a fire,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels. "Blocked fire exits can be deadly. It is that simple." For more information, read the OSHA news release.

Requirements for the number, capacity, marking, illumination, and arrangements for exits (also referred to as “means of egress”) are specified within building codes and the Life Safety Code®. Requirements for maintenance of means of egress and emerency planning are included in fire prevention codes.

OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910 Subpart E – Means of Egress (Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, and Fire Prevention Plans) prescribes requirements for exits. Section 1910.35 states:

“An employer who demonstrates compliance with the exit route provisions of NFPA 101-2000, the Life Safety Code®, will be deemed to be in compliance with the corresponding requirements in §§ 1910.34, 1910.36, and 1910.37.”

One of the fundamental aspects of an emergency response plan is the ability to safely evacuate occupants from a building. The ability to detect a threat or hazard, warn occupants, and then take protective action (e.g., evacuation, lockdown or shelter-in-place) is critical.

Review your emergency plan. Can you promptly detect an incident, warn occupants, and move everyone to safety? Take a look at the planning guidance on the “Resources” page of the Preparedness, LLC website for more information.

NFPA 1600-2010 Edition Released

The 2010 edition of NFPA 1600 “Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs” has been published by the National Fire Protection Association. Download the 2010 and 2007 editions from the NFPA website.

The 2010 edition has undergone significant revisions as a result of the record number of public proposals and comments and committee activity. Changes include:

• The standard has been reordered following a program development process. Chapter 4: Program Management, Chapter 5: Planning, Chapter 6: Implementation, Chapter 7: Testing & Exercises, and Chapter 8: Program Improvement.
• Many new definitions have been added
• Program management has been expanded to address Leadership and Commitment, Performance Objectives, and Records Management.
• Planning now includes a separate section on Business Impact Analysis.
• Chapter 6, Implementation, has been expanded to include a new section on Employee Assistance and Support. Existing sections of this chapter have been expanded.
• New Chapter 7, Testing & Exercises, expands significantly on the requirements for exercises.
• New Chapter 8, Program Improvement, expands on the requirements for program reviews and corrective action.
• The annexes now include a self-assessment checklist and a crosswalk to management system guidelines.

Additional information on the latest edition of NFPA 1600 can be found in our eNewsletter. Also, check out the "NFPA 1600" page on the Preparedness, LLC website. Resources to help with the development of your emergency management and business continuity program can be found on the “Resources” page.