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Common OSHA ViolationsWhat is OSHA?The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created in 1970, as a division of the Department of Labor, to assure the safety andhealth of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providingtraining, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; andencouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.Compliance officers are employed to inspect places of employment toenforce all applicable standards. If standards are not upheld, hefty fines can be given for failure to comply.

Safety OSHA RequirementTitle 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 1902-1990, contain the regulations and standards enforced by OSHA.

• Employers must provide workers a safe and healthy workplace reasonably free of hazards (29 CFR 1910)• Employers are required to determine type of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed and implement a program to address the hazards present, selection, maintenance and use of this PPE (29 CFR 1910.132)• Employers must provide training and protective equipment including first aid provisions and hazard identification at every job site and general work environments (29 CFR 1910.1200(g) and 29 CFR 1910.151)

Compliance officers are employed by OSHA to inspect all places ofemployment and to enforce all applicable standards.

Common ViolationsOSHA violations are defined as costly mistakes or oversights that may ormay have not been known to employers at the time of an inspection or anaccident. The following is a list of some common situations that OSHA could cite as a possible violation and ways to avoid them.

• Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200) • Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29 CFR 1910.147) • Fall Protection (29 CFR 1926.501) • Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134)

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Common OSHA Violations (cont.)Hazard Communication (Right-to-Know)In order to ensure chemical safety in the workplace, information must be available about the identities and hazards of the chemicals. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (Haz Com) requires the development and dissemination of such information:

• Chemical manufacturers and importers are required to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import, and prepare labels and material safety data sheets (MSDSs) to convey the hazard information to their downstream customers.

• All employers with hazardous chemicals in their workplaces must have labels and MSDSs for their exposed workers, and train them to handle the chemicals appropriately.

The purpose of this section is to ensure that the hazards of all chemicals produced or imported are evaluated, and that information concerning their hazards is transmitted to employers and employ-ees. This transmittal of information is to be accomplished by means of comprehensive hazard communication programs, which are to include container labeling and other forms of warning, material safety data sheets and employee training.

Evaluating the potential hazards of chemicals, and communicating information concerning hazards and appropriate protective mea-sures to employees, may include, for example, but is not limited to, provisions for:

• Developing and maintaining a written hazard communication program for the workplace, including lists of hazardous chemicals present. • Labeling of containers of chemicals in the workplace, as well as of containers of chemicals being shipped to other workplaces. • Preparation and distribution of material safety data sheets to employees and downstream employers. • Development and implementation of employee training programs regarding hazards of chemicals and protective measures.

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Common OSHA Violations (cont.)Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)"Lockout/Tagout (LOTO)" refers to specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities.

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. Workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation. In a study conducted by the United Auto Workers (UAW), 20% of the fatalities (83 of 414) that occurred among their members between 1973 and 1995 were attributed to inadequate hazardous energy control procedures specifically, lockout/tagout proce-dures.

This standard covers the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment in which the unexpected energization or start up of the machines or equipment, or release of stored energy could cause injury to employees. This standard establishes minimum performance requirements for the control of such hazardous energy.

Fall ProtectionIdentifying fall hazards and deciding how best to protect workers is the first step in reducing or eliminating fall hazards. Occupational fatalitiescaused by falls remain a serious public health problem. The USDepartment of Labor (DOL) lists falls as one of the leading causes oftraumatic occupational death, accounting for eight percent of alloccupational fatalities from trauma. Any time a worker is at a height of fourfeet or more, the worker is at risk and needs to be protected. Fallprotection must be provided at four feet in general industry, five feet inmaritime and six feet in construction. However, regardless of the falldistance, fall protection must be provided when working over dangerousequipment and machinery.

"Unprotected sides and edges." Each employee on a walking/workingsurface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edgewhich is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected fromfalling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fallarrest systems.

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Common OSHA Violations (cont.)Respiratory ProtectionAn estimated 5 million workers are required to wear respirators in 1.3million workplaces throughout the United States. Respirators protectworkers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs,smokes, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. These hazards may causecancer, lung impairment, other diseases, or death. Compliance with the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard could avert hundreds of deaths and thousands of illnesses annually.

A respirator shall be provided to each employee when such equipmentis necessary to protect the health of such employee. The employer shallprovide the respirators which are applicable and suitable for thepurpose intended. The employer shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protection program, which shall include the requirements outlined in 29 CFR 1910.134(c). The program shall cover each employee required by this section to use a respirator.

Respiratory protection programEmployers are required to develop and implement a written respiratoryprotection program with required worksite-specific procedures andelements for required respirator use. The program must be administered by a suitably trained program administrator. In addition, certain program elements may be required for voluntary use to prevent potential hazards associated with the use of the respirator.

Other DocumentationFor more information on respirators please consult the following: • Lawson PIRSF002 • Lawson Quick Tip QTSF001 • NIOSH 42CFR84

OSHAFor complete OSHA regulations or more information contact your localoffice or visit them on the internet at www.osha.gov. Local officesmight have different regulations than the national office. Consult yourlocal office to ensure the proper regulations are being followed.

National OfficeU.S. Department of LaborOccupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)200 Constitution Avenue, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20210

common osha violations - · pdf filecommon osha violations ... title 29 of the code of...

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