Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
Earlier this year, a review panel addressed OSHA’s ability to issue fines for not having injury records that date back from more than the current year. Now OSHA has used its new authority to level an additional $40,000 in fines to one company.
OSHA inspected Thomasville Lumber Co. in Alabama in December 2010 as part of its national emphasis program to prevent workplace amputations. (more…)
Friday, June 10th, 2011
Below is a new release from OSHA regarding a roofing contractor that has a history of ignoring OSHA’s citations and has failed to implement a safety program to protect their workers. I can assure you that they will have little if any luck reducing these citations to continue to stay in business. The investment of a safety program would be roughly 1% of the total citations that they are facing. Give us a call to find out how you can eliminate your exposure to OSHA citations, protect your workers, and lower your insurance costs today. (more…)
Thursday, June 9th, 2011
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced a three month phase-in period to allow residential construction employers to come into compliance with the Agency’s new directive to provide residential construction workers with fall protection.
(more…)
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011
It is fairly obvious that safety and health hazards can exist on worksites filled with heavy machinery and equipment, where employees often are required to engage in strenuous manual labor.
A job where most of the work tasks are completed while sitting in a chair in a climate-controlled office building would seem less fraught with danger. However, a surprising number of hazards can be present in an office setting.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 80,410 private-industry office and administrative workers suffered on-the-job injuries in 2008. Many of these injuries could have been prevented had workers or supervisors recognized the risks and implemented simple workplace modifications to help mitigate them. (more…)
Tuesday, June 7th, 2011
The following were the top 10 most frequently cited standards in fiscal year 2010 (October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010):
The following are the standards for which OSHA assessed the highest penalties in fiscal year 2010 (October 1, 2009 through September 30, 2010):
For more detailed information, visit Frequently Cited OSHA Standards. At that site, you can generate a report on the most frequently cited federal or state OSHA standards by your SIC code and the number of employees in your establishment.
Friday, June 3rd, 2011
WASHINGTON – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently published a new compliance assistance tool to help employers prevent fall-related injuries and deaths among residential construction workers. This new educational presentation* is located on OSHA’s website.
(more…)
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
To be effective, OSHA says all head protection should meet five basic criteria. It must:
Beyond that, different types of helmet may be appropriate, depending on how much protection is needed based on the hazard faced by the employees.
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
Aerial work platforms (AWPs) are intended to make it safer for employees to work at heights. Unfortunately, some workers have been injured or even killed in incidents involving the platforms.
As a result, the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has published a guidance to help employers and employees avoid trapping or crushing incidents when AWPs are used in confined overhead spaces. “The Best Practice Guidance for AWPs: Avoiding Trapping/Crushing Injuries to People in the Platform” is available in the Publications section of http://www.ipaf.org/ and http://www.awpt.org/.
When used safely, AWPs make working at heights more efficient and effective than using traditional methods of access such as ladders. They significantly reduce the risk of injuries through falling from height. Unfortunately, there have been a number of fatal accidents involving the use of AWPs in which the operator was crushed against fixtures or other obstacles while working at height. Experts believe that such incidents can be prevented by correct planning, preparation and selection of appropriate machinery to be used correctly. (more…)
Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
1. Train supervisors and safety personnel to communicate hazard information and safety procedures effectively. Also train them in general communication skills so that they can interact more successfully with employees.
2. Encourage employee participation in the development and implementation of workplace safety and health programs—for example, through safety committees and other team initiatives.
3. Welcome employee suggestions about ways to improve chemical safety in the workplace. Take their concerns and suggestions seriously and incorporate them into safety programs. Remember that to be truly effective, hazard communication must involve two-way communication. (more…)
Thursday, April 14th, 2011
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit rejected a challenge by the National Roofing Contractors Association to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s December 2010 directive on the use of fall protection in residential construction. The directive withdrew an earlier one that allowed certain residential construction employers to bypass some fall protection requirements.
“Fall protection saves lives,” said OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. “There are effective means available to protect residential construction workers from falls. We applaud the court’s decision upholding this updated, commonsense directive.” (more…)
