Comparison of top 10 OSHA violations over three years
The following is a list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards following inspections of worksites by federal OSHA. OSHA publishes this list to alert employers about these commonly cited standards so they can take steps to find and fix recognized hazards addressed in these and other standards before OSHA shows up. Far too many preventable injuries and illnesses occur in the workplace.
Comparing the list for the last three years shows that the top 10 violations have been pretty consistent in terms of the standards being violated. Construction safety is extremely important for all organizations. How do you ensure that your organization is not in violation of the above standards?
- OSHA top 10 violations Over 2008-2010
Key Statistics
In a Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) study, 72% of workers injured in scaffold accidents attributed the accident either to the planking or support giving way, or to the employee slipping or being struck by a falling object. All of these can be controlled by compliance with OSHA standards.
The US Department of Labor (DOL) lists falls as one of the leading causes of traumatic occupational death, accounting for eight percent of all occupational fatalities from trauma.
Approximately 3 million workers service equipment and face the greatest risk of injury if lockout/tagout is not properly implemented. Compliance with the lockout/tagout standard (29 CFR 1910.147) prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year.
An estimated 5 million workers are required to wear respirators in 1.3 million workplaces throughout the United States. Compliance with the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard could avert hundreds of deaths and thousands of illnesses annually.
Each year, tens of thousands of injuries related to powered industrial trucks (PIT), or forklifts, occur in US workplaces. Unfortunately, most employee injuries and property damage can be attributed to lack of safe operating procedures, lack of safety-rule enforcement, and insufficient or inadequate training.
A key initiative in reducing the number of violations is to improve instruction and training on compliance with the OSHA standards.
Avoiding the top OSHA Violations
The best way to avoid these violations is to understand the OSHA regulations and train your workers on how to maintain a safe work environment. Training workers to recognize and follow safe practices is the most effective way to avoid these violations. The OSHA 10 hour construction course was specifically developed for this purpose. Having workers take this course provides financial benefits, many insurance companies offer reduced rates for companies that train their workers on OSHA standards and gives the company the satisfaction of knowing they are doing the right thing for employees. Workers that have completed the online course, are less adapt to have incidents.
Category: Blog, OSHA Construction Safety, osha violations, Safety News and Articles
10 Hour Construction Safety
