Avoid OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violations List With Safety Solutions And Training

Year after year, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) releases its agency’s list of the top ten most-cited workplace safety violations. Not surprisingly, fall protection ranked in the undesirable top position for the 11th straight year, with respiratory protection and ladders coming in at second and third places, respectively.

An interesting discovery includes the considerable drop-off in the total number of citations issued in 2021, according to the National Safety Council. Compared to the 31,816 citations issued in 2019 and 24,239 issued in 2020, the agency only issued 21,092 citations for 2021. Most likely, facility shutdowns due to the pandemic and administrative changes played a significant role in the decrease, rather than a sudden improvement in safety protocol. With the reduced number of citations, how many serious or willful violations went unnoticed and unremedied?

Aside from citations and potential fines, OSHA’s visits are a motivating factor for regular assessments of workplace safety programs. When was the last time you evaluated your safety program for gaps in the following ten areas? Take a look at OSHA’s Top 10 list along with information associated with each standard and compare it with your existing safety plan. Where would you like to see improvements?

LINC Systems can help your organization avoid OSHA’s top violations listed below with site audits, hazard evaluations, worker compliance evaluations, product recommendations, and safety training programs.

 

What were the Top 10 Most-Cited OSHA Violations last year?

Each year, OSHA agents visit businesses to inspect for occupational hazards and provide plans for addressing these risks before they result in employee injury. As a service, OSHA publishes these findings to help companies identify potential hazards, reducing the likelihood of preventable injuries and illnesses, as well as costly penalties. Is your business in compliance with the following standards?

#1 Fall Protection (General Requirements 1926.501): 5,295 violations
Covers requirements for protecting workers on walking-working surfaces, both horizontal or vertical, with unprotected sides or edges above elevations of six feet. Could include violations on the improper use of guardrails, personal fall arrest, safety net systems, warning lines, holes in the walking-working surface, among other requirements.

#2 Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,527 violations
Covers requirements on establishing or maintaining a respiratory protection program including procedures, respirator selection, employee training, fit testing, medical evaluations and usage, as well as cleaning, maintenance and repair programs.

#3 Ladders (1926.1053): 2,026 violations
Covers requirements on the proper use of all ladders for access to upper landing surfaces including extension ladders, portable ladders and stepladders.

#4 Scaffolding (1926.451) 1,948 violations
Covers safety requirements for scaffolding, including the design, construction and loading of scaffolding meant to protect construction workers from falls and falling objects when working at heights of 10 feet or more.

#5 Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 1,947 violations
Covers requirements regarding the development, implementation and maintenance of written hazard communication for chemical hazards present or produced in the workplace.

#6 Lockout Tagout (1910.147): 1,698 violations
Covers minimum performance requirements for the control of hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance tasks, as well as training, communication and inspection requirements.

#7 Fall Protection (Training Requirements 1926.503): 1,666 violations
Covers training requirements for employees who may be exposed to fall hazards and includes training requirements performed by competent persons, written certifications and retraining as necessary.

#8 PPE and Lifesaving Equipment (Eye & Face Protection 1926.102): 1,452 violations
Covers appropriate personal protective equipment for the head and face in the event a worker is exposed to flying particles, gases, chemicals, metals, acids, caustic liquids, radiation or vapors.

#9 Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,420 violations
Covers the design, maintenance and safe operation of forklifts and other powered industrial trucks, as well as the training requirements, inspection and documentation of vehicles.

#10 Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,113 violations
Covers requirements for proper machine guarding to protect workers and operators from hazards associated with the machine’s point of operation including nip points, blades, rotating parts, struck-by accidents, flying chips, particulates or sparks.

(Source: Safety and Health Magazine, 2021)

 

Improve Worksite Safety and OSHA Compliance with LINC’s Specialized Safety Solutions

LINC Systems prioritizes safety in the workplace and beyond. We support our customers’ operational and safety goals with top-rated safety equipment and personal protective equipment, as well as on-site consultative services. Our wide selection includes:

Consulting Services

Onsite consultations* are an ideal way to gauge the effectiveness of your current safety program and receive expert guidance on ways to eliminate those hazards or select engineering controls and personal protective equipment to better protect workers. It’s also a great way to keep up-to-date on the latest safety solutions and issues facing your industry.

Workplace safety is never one-size-fits-all and safety needs can change from one facility to another. As a matter of fact, any time there is an environmental shift, a tool change or change in processes, there is the potential for a safety incident to occur.

To have the most comprehensive safety program, we recommend having an on-site consultation performed to identify potential hazards and provide solutions that not only improve safety but enhance efficiencies.

Keep safety top-of-mind with onsite evaluations and consulting services* from LINC Systems that include:

*Any safety and compliance consultations by LINC Systems are suggestions on best practices only. LINC Systems is not responsible for certified audit and compliance evaluations.

Stay Safe! Training Program – Training Services

You take safety seriously. So do we. We designed a free pneumatic tool safety training program to improve safety awareness, reduce accidents and injuries, lower workers’ compensation costs and improve worker morale across your company. By increasing awareness from the production floor all the way through upper management, you can rest easy knowing your employees have the tools and safety equipment they need to work safely.

LINC Systems Stay Safe! safety training program includes:

 

LINC Systems is proud to carry a variety of safety, industrial supply, fastening and packaging products from top-rated brands. We also have the services you need to manage your operations more efficiently. If you would like to consolidate your supply needs and start saving time and money, contact us today by calling 800-513-9918 or visit LINCsystems.com.