Thursday, January 31, 2013

OSHA's Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Safety Violations


Good morning to all I.D.I. employees:  As you all know, one of our company's annual safety goals is to have no OSHA violations.  Receiving an OSHA violation means that we either aren't working in a safe manner or we don't have safe procedures in place or being followed.  OSHA violations cost employers a lot of money and general contractors don't like hiring subcontractors that have a history of OSHA violations.  International Decorator's last OSHA violation was in 1998.  We have worked together as a team for the past 15 years with having ZERO OSHA violations. Great job - team!  We cannot let our guard down.  We need to keep at it everyday by performing our tasks in a safe manner and communicating among each other about job site hazards that do arise so we can protect ourselves from them.  

Below is the most recent list from OSHA of the top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2012.  Almost everyone of the topics listed below are safety topics that we are involved with in one way or another.  We have provided safety training on all of the topics below that are incorporated into the work we do.

This list is important as it shows what OSHA is looking for when they come on to our job sites and it shows the common hazards that they are finding.  

Have a Safe Day!

1. Fall Protection: 7,250 total violations
Frequently violated requirements included failure to protect open sides and edges, to prevent falls from roofs, and to cover holes.
2. Hazard Communication: 4,696 total violations
Commonly violated requirements included failure to have a written program, inadequate employee education and training, improper or no labels on containers, and no material safety data sheets or lack of access to them.
3. Scaffolding: 3,814 total violations
Violations included problems with scaffold construction, improper access to scaffolding surfaces and lack of guardrails.
4. Respiratory Protection: 2,371 total violations
Frequent violations included no written respiratory protection program, poor fit-test procedures, unsuitable respirator selection process and lack of procedures for voluntary use of respirators.
5. Ladders: 2,310 total violations
Violations included damaged side rails, use of the top ladder step, inappropriate ladder for the job and excessive loads on ladders.
6. Machine Guarding: 2,097 total violations
Violations included point-of-operation exposures, inadequate or no anchoring of fixed machinery, and exposure to blades.
7. Powered Industrial Trucks: 1,993 total violations
Common violations were inadequate operator training and refresher training, and poor conditions of trucks when returned to service after repair.
8. Electrical—Wiring: 1,744 total violations
Violations included problems with flexible cords and cables, boxes, and temporary wiring; poor use of extension cords, and using temporary wiring as permanent wiring.
9. Lockout/Tagout: 1,572 total violations
Frequent violations were poor or no energy control procedures, inadequate worker training and inspections not completed.
10. Electrical—General: 1,332 total violations
Common violations were related to electric shock and electrocution exposures.