Be Aware Friends, OSHA is Changing

Be aware friends, OSHA is changing from a reactive organization to a proactive organization and is currently ramping up inspections of manufacturing companies under the new Obama administration. The reason OSHA is pushing so hard, is the GAO (Government Accountability Office) has determined many industries are under-reporting injuries in order to avoid OSHA inspections, OSHA fines, and larger insurance premiums. Also Obama personally wants to make factories safer for American workers.

This link contains the OSHA news release.

OSHA is currently hiring hundreds of new people to assist in these new inspection activities. The following industries will be targeted if they have fewer than average lost days due to injury: See Pg22 of this OSHA Notice

Companies being targeted may soon receive a letter from OSHA.

Here is how the letter from OSHA will read.

OSHA has given out 6,771 citations so far for fall protection violations.

This link contains more info on the top violations that OSHA is citing: Top Ten Safety Violations for 2009

The cost to companies for fall protection safety violations alone are very high, with some companies fined over hundreds of thousands of dollars. Here are some recently levied OSHA fines.

Read more about the OSHA action and new Worker Safety Law “Protecting Americas Workers Act” here.

As stated, OSHA is currently hiring hundreds of new employees to assist in these new inspection activities. For fall protection violations, they will be looking at all instances of worker at heights 4 feet and above for general industry, and heights 6 feet and above for construction.

Now is the time to avoid potential OSHA fines! Help your workers stay protected by investing in the proper fall protection equipment.

Stay tuned for more fall protection insight and news every month.

Thanks for reading!

As always- Stay safe, and I am here if you need me…..

Arnold Timothy Galpin, P.E.

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Feb 07, 2012
07:03 AM

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