The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) obtain more than $5 million in fines from businesses who fail to follow its protocols. In the opening quarter of 2019, OSHA garnered over $1.5 million in penalties from companies that put their workers to hazards.
This has resulted in OSHA to increase its penalties for abate violations from $12,765 to $13,260 per day and willful violations from $126,749 to $132,598.
Knowing OSHA standards is imperative in ensuring continuous productivity and more importantly, avoid financial burden as a result of employee accidents. Scroll down to find out the most prevalent standards that are violated by businesses.
Fall Protection Standard
Otherwise known as Standard 1926.501, the Fall Protection regulation is intended to help protect employees, especially construction workers from fall-related incidents.
Slips and falls are among the leading causes of serious work-related injuries. Statistics have shown that more than 48,060 workers suffered injuries, and more than 600 workers died in falls.
This is primarily because most businesses fail to set up fall protection systems when employees are working at elevations of six feet or more.
A professional in safety training Houston will provide your business with the needed guidance. They assist businesses in finding helpful resources for fall protection. In most cases, an expert will recommend you put up toe-boards, safety nets, gap covers, safety harnesses, and guard rails.
Other than that, businesses will also need to provide prevention training to employees that might be in danger of fall hazards. This enables your workers to effectively recognize the danger and avoid injuries through the correct use of fall protection equipment.
Moreover, employers should also keep a record which validates that each worker in danger of fall hazards have received the right training. The written document must include the name of the worker, the date of training completion, and the signature of the employer or trainer.
Respiratory Protection Standard
In the fiscal year of 2013, OSHA penalized businesses approximately $1,746,465 for failing to adhere to its respiratory protection standard.
The respiratory protection standard was designed to safeguard workers from exposure of fumes, dust, smoke, sprays, gases, and vapors.
Employees who inhale these substances may suffer from lung ailments such as silicosis, asbestosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer.
OSHA’s respiratory protection standard necessitates businesses to develop, sustain, and execute a respiratory protection program.
During this process, the employers, along with safety training Houston experts will determine the airborne hazards in the environment before choosing an appropriate respirator.
Businesses are also required to educate and train their employees in using the equipment as well as monitoring the workplace to ensure that respirators are properly maintained and used.
Eye and Face Protection Standard
Employees who are exposed to chemicals, molten metal, and flying hazards are often in danger of suffering eye and face injuries.
Several studies have found out that about 300,000 people suffer from workplace eye injury each year. Of these 300,000 eye injuries, it was revealed that 90 percent of them could have been prevented if the workers wore appropriate eye protection.
OSHA’s eye and face protection standard ensures all workers are safe from these injuries by requiring employers to provide face shields, goggles, and safety glasses.
