For employers, OSHA has a different “year in review” list: the top 10 violations across the US. The list is remarkably stable from year to year:
- Fall protection
- Hazard communication
- Scaffolding – general requirements
- Respiratory protection
- Control of Hazardous Energy – Lockout/Tagout
- Ladders
- Powered industrial trucks
- Fall protection – training requirements
- Machine guarding – general requirement
- Personal protective and lifesaving equipment – eye and face protection
“It’s easy to see how items like “fall protection” top the list,” says Bill Wallace, Safety Branch Director at Vantage Point Consulting.” “What seems so obvious sometimes isn’t in the flow of a person’s work.” Let VPC help with our Safety Check program. The goal of the VPC Safety Check Service is to prevent employee injuries, increase OSHA compliance and prevent lost revenue.
For most employees and employers, following established guidelines and rules on how to operate machinery, navigate a facility, and use equipment can resolve most citations. “OSHA reportables are frequently the result of an employee acting improperly to meet a deadline or rush. That’s ultimately a training issue,” says Wallace. Programs like Making Safety Personal and Safety by Rounds/Conducting Safety Walkarounds along with OSHA 10 & 30 Hour courses, all taught by VPC, can remind employees, safe time for managers and trainers, and keep workplaces safe and in compliance.
Beyond human error, equipment issues are cited in six of the ten most reported. “When we perform our VPC Safety Checks, we’re looking for these issues OSHA’s citing people for,” says Wallace.
Inspection of medical equipment at medical facilities, for instance, includes sanitary and biohazard protections. Inspection of fire extinguishers, cameras, lighting, ladders, structures, and other equipment are tailored to each site.
“Obviously if you’re not a medical facility you’re not going to have scaffolding lying around,” says Wallace. “But for facilities that do, we know what to look for. We remember to check things like safe audible levels, heating temperatures, powered industrial trucks, and chemical safety practices. Because really, when was the last time you remembered to check your safety practices for issues?”
To sign up for VPC Safety Check or learn more, you can apply online now.
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