OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violations
Over 4.1 million people suffer work-related injuries each year. That’s more than 800,000 lost work hours, costing companies millions of dollars in lost production. Companies are responsible for keeping employees safe by providing the necessary safety training and protective equipment.
Since June is National Safety Month, we thought it would be a perfect time to give you the list of OSHA’s most frequently cited standards for 2010. This will be a great place to start looking for ways to improve your safety procedures.
Top 10 “Serious” Violations for Fiscal-Year 2010 –
- Scaffolding – General Requirements
Scaffolds should be designed by a qualified person, and should be constructed and loaded in accordance with that design. Employers must protect construction workers from falls and falling objects while working on or near scaffolding at heights of 10 feet or more.
- Fall Protection – General Requirements
This standard outlines where fall protection is required, which systems are appropriate for given situations, the proper construction and installation of safety systems, and the proper supervision of employees to prevent falls. It’s designed to protect employees on a walking/working surface (horizontal or vertical) with an unprotected side or edge above 6 feet.
- Hazard Communication
This standard addresses chemical hazards, including chemicals produced in the workplace, as well as those imported into the workplace. It also governs the communication of those hazards to workers.
- Respiratory Protection
This standard directs employers in establishing or maintaining a respiratory protection program. It lists requirements for program administration; worksite-specific procedures; respirator selection; employees training; fit testing; medical evaluation; respirator use; and respirator cleaning, maintenance, and repair.
- Ladders
This standard covers general requirements for all ladders.
- Lockout/Tagout
This standard outlines minimum performance requirements for the control of hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment.
- Electrical – Wiring Methods
This standard covers the grounding of electrical equipment, wiring and insulation. It includes temporary wiring and splicing, such as flexible cords and cables.
- Powered Industrial Trucks
This standard covers the design, maintenance, and operation of powered industrial trucks, including forklifts and motorized hand trucks. It also covers requirements for operator training.
- Electrical – General Requirements
This standard covers general safety requirements for designing electrical systems.
- Machine Guarding – General Requirements
This standard covers guarding machinery to protect operators and other employees from hazards, including those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips, and sparks.
OSHA violations cost employers millions of dollars in citations, not to mention the danger employees are in. Providing your workers the proper safety training and protective equipment is one of your biggest responsibilities. If you have any questions about the equipment you need to protect your employees, give our Technical Support Reps a call at 1-800-631-1246. They’re here to help you comply with standards and keep your workers safe.
Source: Safety & Health