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OSHA's top 10 safety violations
By Jenny
C. McCune • Bankrate.com
Think your business is a safe place to work?
See how it measures up against the top 10 safety violations
tallied by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and
the National Federation of Independent Business. The fewer violations
you spot at your company, the safer your small business is.
10. Not maintaining an OSHA
200 Log.
Do you have such a log? It tracks and summarizes a company's occupational
injuries and illnesses. Not sure whether your company is required
to keep one? OSHA
fact sheet 93-05 can answer that question for you.
9. Unsafe use of flexible electrical
cords.
If your office's floor is a maze of electrical cords, you could
be asking for trouble -- both from a fire-hazard and OSHA inspection
standpoint. Flexible wiring should not run through holes in walls,
ceilings or floors, OSHA says. Such wiring, as well as extension
cords, are no substitute for regular, fixed wiring. Call an electrician,
and have safer in-the-wall electrical connections installed.
8. No portable fire extinguishers
provided.
Whether your company resides in a factory or commercial office space,
it needs fire extinguishers. Your local fire department can usually
help your company determine the number and type that you need. In
addition, a written fire safety policy and regular fire drills can
help keep you and your employees safe.
7. Lack of adequate fall protection
Construction sites with surfaces six feet tall or higher need to
install fall-protection devices. Guard rails, safety nets or personal
fall arrest systems are examples of OSHA-acceptable fall-protection
devices.
6. Hard hats not worn on construction
sites.
We've all seen the hard-hat-required signs. OSHA means it. If your
business makes such headwear mandatory, make sure it's being worn.
If not, you need to find out why your workers aren't complying.
If you or your supervisors don't follow this rule or fail to enforce
it, your company could be sending a message that worker safety is
unimportant.
5. Tongue guards missing or
not adjusted on abrasive wheel grinders.
OK, this may not affect every workplace in the country, but it's
a violation reported enough to make it up halfway to the top of
the list. If your company has such machinery, comply by making the
necessary adjustments. Regularly check to ensure your equipment
stays within safety parameters, and remind your staff never to operate
any gear that doesn't have safety guards.
4. Electrical covers and canopies
missing.
Another electrical violation makes the list. Keep an eye on electric
fixtures, and have a professional replace any missing covers and
canopies.
3. Electrical conductors not
protected entering boxes, cabinets or fittings.
And yet a third electric-related violation. By now the OSHA message
is clear: Get the help of a licensed electrician to determine how
safe your business's electrical wiring is. Your property and casualty
insurer may also be able to conduct an inspection and make safety
suggestions.
2. No information and training
on hazardous chemicals.
If your company uses hazardous chemicals, it's critical to your
bottom line as well as worker safety that you have a hazard policy.
It should be posted and made readily accessible to all employees.
Posting, of course, isn't enough. Your company should
train employees about the requirements of the OSHA standard and
the hazards associated with all routine and non-routine tasks in
your place of business.
And the No. 1 OSHA violation is ...
1. No written hazard policy.
This is one of the easiest violations to correct. And if you're
in compliance, then violation No. 2 is probably not a problem.
Write out your company's hazard policy. It should
include a description of how your company will identify and mark
hazardous materials and containers, a list of hazardous chemicals
kept at your workplace, and a "safe handling" tip sheet
for each hazardous chemicals.
Keep in mind that even white-collar offices may have
hazardous cleaning agents or toxic copy toner on hand. It's important
to scrutinize your office (before an OSHA inspector does) to see
where the problems are and write up a policy that employees can
turn to when they have questions.
Take steps to comply with OSHA's guidelines and your
company should easily avoid the problems on this top 10 list. And
your workplace will be a safer and more productive site for your
business, your employees and your customers.
Jenny C. McCune is a contributing
editor based in Montana.
-- Posted: Jan. 25, 2002
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