OSHA Releases “Top 10” Violations List
Spend any amount of time on the Internet and you’re bound to come across a “Top 10” list of some sort. Sometimes they make you laugh and sometimes they make you reminisce on the good times, but I’ve got one that should get you thinking.
OSHA released their “Top 10 Most Cited Workplace Violations” for 2017 during the recent National Safety Council’s Congress & Expo in Indianapolis. Take a look:
- Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 6,072 violations
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 4,176
- Scaffolding (1926.451): 3,288
- Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 3,097
- Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,877
- Ladders (1926.1053): 2,241
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 2,162
- Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,933
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements: 1,523
- Electrical – Wiring Methods (1910.305): 1,405
The list looks very similar to last year’s stats and it makes me wonder, are we, as insurers, doing our best to work with employers to ensure violations don’t happen? Shouldn’t our first priority be to reduce risks?
My job is to ensure you have all the correct safety programs in place to prevent fines and to create a safe work place. If we can correct the practices that lead to higher workers’ comp costs, then we can reduce violations.
The Van Beurden assessment process dives deep into your safety program and we start to develop an alternative approach to managing your Workers Compensation program.
Our Risk Assessment process has allowed employers to uncover risks, waste and threats that they may have been previously unaware of. Utilizing this process has allowed us to tailor solutions specifically for that employer, in turn saving the business money.
NSC President and CEO Deborah A.P. Hersman said it best, “The OSHA Top 10 is more than just a list, it is a blueprint for keeping workers safe. When we all work together to address hazards, we can do the best job possible to ensure employees go home safely each day.”
As an employer, you are constantly juggling one thing after another. This is probably one of the last items on your list, but if all you had to take was 15-20 minutes to see how you could reduce your business’ risk … you sould!
If you’re ready to having a conversation, call us today!
