Each year, OSHA tracks the top 10 workplace safety standards violations which can lead to workers’ comp claims. For the 2021 fiscal year (Oct. 1, 2020, through Aug. 31, 2021), OSHA reported the most common violations, as published by the National Safety Council.
- Fall protection was the most-cited safety issue for the 11th year in a row in 2021, reports the National Safety Council. Some 5,271 violations were issued to framing contractors, roofing contractors, masonry firms and housing construction contractors. The main cause for citations was a lack of protection near unprotected edges or sides and on steep roofs or lesser-sloped surfaces. OSHA points out that fall protection issues exist across many work areas such as stairways, ladders, scaffolding, floor holes, wall openings and elevated areas.
- Respiratory protection violation citations totaled 2,521. The chief culprits were auto body refinishing companies, painting contractors, wall covering contractors and masonry contractors. They were cited for absence of a protection program, failure to perform required fit testing, and/or a lack of medical evaluations.
- Ladders drew 2,018 violations. The primarily offenders were among framing, siding, roofing and painting contractors. Violations included structurally deficient ladders, a lack of siderails extending three feet beyond a landing surface, and the use of ladders for purposes for which they’re not designed. Another issue: allowing workers to use the top step of a stepladder.
- Scaffolds were the cause of 1,943 violations. The primary firms cited by OSHA were siding, roofing, framing and masonry contractors. The causes included improper or inadequate decking, failure to provide adequate scaffold support on a solid foundation, and lack of safety guardrails.
- Hazard communication, while not necessarily the responsibility of on-the-job workers, was the fifth-most-cited OSHA safety issue in 2021. Auto repair facilities and painting contractors received most of the 1,939 citations. The main causes were lack of a written hazard communication program as well as inadequate training and/or failure to develop and maintain data safety sheets.
- Lockout/tagout is a category of safety related to the control of hazardous energy such as electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other sources in machines and equipment. Chief targets of the 1,670 citations were plastic manufacturers, sawmills and machine shops. Violations included not providing adequate training, a lack of established energy control procedures, failure to use lockout/tagout equipment and failure to conduct evaluations of procedures.
- Fall protection training requirements (as distinct from fall protection) led to 1,660 violations. Causes included faulty training that trainees were unable to retain and failure to retrain those employees. Additional causes were failure to give required fall protection training and failure to certify fall protection training in writing.
- Eye and face protection, in the category of personal protective and lifesaving equipment, resulted in 1,451 violations. Most citations were for failure to use appropriate eye or face protection by employees who were exposed to flying objects, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids. Another cause of violations was a lack of side protection.
- Powered industrial trucks, including forklifts and motorized hand trucks, resulted in 1,404 violations. Warehousing and storage facilities, fabricated and structural metal manufacturing and framing contractors received most of the citations. Main causes were failure to operate safely, lack of refresher training and evaluation, absence of certification of training and evaluation, and failure to examine equipment for adverse conditions.
- Machine guarding standards, which covers guarding of machinery to protect operators and other workers from hazards, led to 1,105 violations in fiscal year 2021. Most often cited were firms in the machine shop and fabricated metal manufacturing fields. Main causes were violations of the types of required guards, lack of guarding at point of operation, not properly anchoring machinery, a lack of secure attachment of guards to machinery, and improper guarding of fan blades.
It is important for employers to review work processes in light of the top safety violations to determine the hazards in their workplace. The top ways for employers to avoid safety issues are job hazard analyses, employees’ reporting of hazards and unsafe conditions, and employee training. Frequent safety training and customized risk management programs can support operational business goals while reducing risk and making the workplace safer.
Gulfshore Insurance is a Naples, Florida based insurance agency specializing in business insurance including liability insurance, property insurance, workers compensation insurance, vehicle insurance, business income interruption insurance, cyber insurance, commercial umbrella insurance, and more. Our insurance and risk management advisors are industry specialists for condominium associations, golf and country clubs, oil and petroleum marketers, construction, landscaping, churches and non-profits, and work comp. Navigating insurance requires an experienced and trusted insurance agent who understands your business risks and exposures. Gulfshore Insurance services Naples, North Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Lido Beach, Longboat Key, Bradenton Beach, and Southwest Florida. We have office locations in Naples, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, and Sarasota.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its preliminary list of the top 10 most frequently cited safety violations at this month’s National Safety Council Congress & Expo, the world’s largest gathering of safety professionals.
The OSHA list is determined following worksite inspections throughout the fiscal year and alerts employees and safety professionals about areas of frequent citations to help prevent their occurrence. OSHA violations can cost some companies more than $1 million in penalties.
Notable among the top 10 list for 2021, companies experienced an increase in respiratory protection violations and a decrease in hazard communication and powered industrial truck violations from prior years. Fall protection remains at the top of the list for the 11th year in a row.
The Top 10 for FY 2021 are:
- Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 5,295 violations
- Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,527
- Ladders (1926.1053): 2,026
- Scaffolding (1926.451): 1,948
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 1,947
- Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 1,698
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,666
- Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,452
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,420
- Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,113
OSHA’s preliminary figures found 21,090 citations issued this year, down from 24,239 in 2020 and more than one-third less than the 31,816 issued in 2019. Workplace shutdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic undoubtedly played a large part in the decrease, but there are still many areas for improvement on the list. Frequent safety training and customized risk management programs can support operational business goals while reducing risk and making the workplace safer.
Jeffrey Sanders, TRIP is Client Advisor at Gulfshore Insurance. Jeff works with a wide range of business clients to deliver strategic risk analysis, guidance, and insurance. Comments and questions are welcome at jsanders@gulfshoreinsurance.com
Gulfshore Insurance is a Naples, Florida based insurance agency specializing in liability insurance, property insurance, workers compensation insurance, vehicle insurance, business income interruption insurance, cyber insurance, commercial umbrella insurance, home and homeowners insurance, car and auto insurance, boat and yacht insurance, property insurance, umbrella insurance, valuables insurance for fine art, jewelry, wine, and more. Navigating insurance requires an experienced and trusted insurance agent who understands your business risks and exposures. Gulfshore Insurance services Naples, North Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Lido Beach, Longboat Key, Bradenton Beach, and Southwest Florida. We have office locations in Naples, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, and Sarasota.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced its preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for fiscal year 2020. Although multiple standards swapped positions, the Top 10 violations from FY 2019 to FY 2020 did not change. Ladders (1926.1053) climbed to a top-five spot, and Respiratory Protection (1910.134) rose to the third rank from fifth. Additionally, the data show that Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) is OSHA’s most frequently cited standard for the 10th successive fiscal year.
The Top 10 for FY 2020 are:
- Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 5,424 violations
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 3,199
- Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,649
- Scaffolding (1926.451): 2,538
- Ladders (1926.1053): 2,129
- Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,065
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,932
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,621
- Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,369
- Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,313
Jeffrey Sanders, TRIP is Client Advisor at Gulfshore Insurance. Jeff works with a wide range of business clients to deliver strategic risk analysis, guidance, and insurance. Comments and questions are welcome at jsanders@gulfshoreinsurance.com
Gulfshore Insurance is a Naples, Florida based insurance agency specializing in liability insurance, property insurance, workers compensation insurance, vehicle insurance, business income interruption insurance, cyber insurance, commercial umbrella insurance, home and homeowners insurance, car and auto insurance, boat and yacht insurance, property insurance, umbrella insurance, valuables insurance for fine art, jewelry, wine, and more. Navigating insurance requires an experienced and trusted insurance agent who understands your business risks and exposures. Gulfshore Insurance services Naples, North Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Lido Beach, Longboat Key, Bradenton Beach, and Southwest Florida. We have office locations in Naples, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, and Sarasota.
For most employers, the cost of an employee’s work-related injury is covered by workers’ compensation insurance, which pays for medical care and replaces some of the income that the injured employee lost while unable to work. There is no coverage, however, for the hidden costs to your organization of that injury, such as reduced efficiency, the cost of training replacements, and increased overtime expenditures.
On-the-job injuries or vehicle accidents aren’t limited to occupations that are obviously dangerous. In most years the top three causes of injuries in the workplace are overexertion (injuries caused from excessive lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying, or throwing of an object), falls on level ground, and bodily reaction (injuries from bending, climbing, slipping or tripping without falling). Such injuries can affect workers in most environments. Whatever your industry, attention to such risks can pay dividends.
Employees should be trained to recognize hazards and to report them to the appropriate person so that the hazard can be corrected as soon as possible. Work requirements involving safety should take precedence over any other.
Any near miss, first aid incident, accident, or other workplace injury-related event should be investigated. Where possible, the investigation should be carried out immediately by a team that includes both management and hourly employees, all of whom have been trained in incident investigation. The goal of investigations is to identify the cause of the accident or injury rather than assign blame and to correct any hazards or other problems found, such as poor communication.
Supervisors and managers should also be trained to recognize and correct unsafe behaviors that can lead to injuries, including rushing, frustration, complacency, and fatigue.
Once a year a team should review all incidents from the prior year to see whether there are any patterns in the accidents and, if so, how to address the problems identified.
Each worksite should confer with its fire and police departments and hospital about plans for all potential emergencies, including fire, explosion, accident, severe weather, loss of power, and violence. Emergency drills should be used to ensure that employees know what to do and to assess the effectiveness of emergency plans.
For additional information, visit the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration website.
Tim Spear, is a Client Advisor and Partner at Gulfshore Insurance specializing in the construction, oil/petroleum, and landscape industries. Through his consultative and diagnostic approach, he helps clients develop customized programs to meet their risk management needs. Comments and questions are welcome at tspear@gulfshoreinsurance.com
Gulfshore Insurance is a Naples, Florida based insurance agency specializing in business insurance including liability insurance, property insurance, workers compensation insurance, vehicle insurance, business income interruption insurance, cyber insurance, commercial umbrella insurance, and more. Our insurance and risk management advisors are industry specialists for condominium associations, golf and country clubs, oil and petroleum marketers, construction, landscaping, churches and non-profits, and work comp. Navigating insurance requires an experienced and trusted insurance agent who understands your business risks and exposures. Gulfshore Insurance services Naples, North Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Lido Beach, Longboat Key, Bradenton Beach, and Southwest Florida. We have office locations in Naples, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, and Sarasota.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers subject to its recordkeeping requirements to post copies of their OSHA Form 300A between Feb. 1 and April 30 of each year.
The OSHA Form 300A, also known as the “Summary of Work-related Injuries and Illnesses,” must be completed by Feb. 1 using data from the previous calendar year.
As a reminder, OSHA’s recordkeeping requirement does not apply to employers with 10 or fewer employees, or to employers that are in a partially exempt industry.
Employer Action Steps
On Feb. 1, employers subject to OSHA recordkeeping requirements must ensure that copies of their completed Forms 300A are posted in each of their establishments. The form must be displayed in a conspicuous place or places where notices to employees are customarily posted.
Until April 30, these employers must also ensure that their Form 300A postings remain in place and are not altered, defaced or covered by other material.
COVID-19 Guidance
Due to the fact that many employees are working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, OSHA will not require employers to display the OSHA 300A form in establishments that are completely empty.
However, employers will need to comply with the posting requirement if employees return to the establishment before May 1, 2021.
Click here to download the legal update
Gulfshore Insurance is a Naples, Florida based insurance agency specializing in business insurance including liability insurance, property insurance, workers compensation insurance, vehicle insurance, business income interruption insurance, cyber insurance, commercial umbrella insurance, and more. Our insurance and risk management advisors are industry specialists for condominium associations, golf and country clubs, oil and petroleum marketers, construction, landscaping, churches and non-profits, and work comp. Navigating insurance requires an experienced and trusted insurance agent who understands your business risks and exposures. Gulfshore Insurance services Naples, North Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Lido Beach, Longboat Key, Bradenton Beach, and Southwest Florida. We have office locations in Naples, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, and Sarasota.
