In October, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the agency established to ensure safe working conditions, released its preliminary list of the ten most cited safety violations for the fiscal year 2018. These violations include:
Fall Protection
For several years fall protection has made the list of top safety violations. Despite falls being a leading cause of fatalities, there is not always proper fall protection at construction sites. Employers must protect workers and take steps to ensure their safety such as providing guard rails and safety harnesses.
Hazard Communication
Hazardous chemicals in workplaces should be properly labeled and proper training provided to the employees who handle these chemicals.
Scaffolding
Workers on scaffolds are often not provided with adequate scaffolding or proper safety equipment, resulting in thousands of injuries each year. Accidents can be caused by improperly constructed scaffolding, lack of safety devices, and failure to train employees about scaffolding safety.
Respiratory Protection
Respirators can protect workers from dust, sprays, and hazardous fog. Employers should ensure that properly fitting respiratory protection is provided to workers.
Lockout/Tagout
This refers to specific procedures that must be followed to prevent injuries from the unexpected startup of equipment or release of hazardous energy during maintenance.
Ladders
It is important for employers to make sure that ladders are in good condition before providing them to employees for use and that proper ladders are used depending on the job.
Powered Industrial Trucks
Powered industrial trucks and forklifts cause thousands of injuries each year. Employers should ensure equipment is functioning properly, that employees are properly trained, and that correct safety procedures are in place.
Fall Protection—Training Requirements
Employers are required to ensure that all employees on a job site are properly trained on fall protection and prevention.
Machine Guarding
Moving parts on machines can cause work hazards. Machine guarding can protect workers from these hazards. Defective or broken machine guarding, or failing to train employees on how to use the machine guarding, can result in serious injury.
Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment—Eye and Face Protection
Workers exposed to hazards such as flying debris or chemical gases or vapors should be provided with the correct eye and face protection.
Contact an Experienced Attorney
If you have been injured on a construction site due to safety violations, you should have an experienced personal injury attorney evaluate your case. At Bonina & Bonina, P.C., we have over 50 years of experience helping injured New Yorkers. Contact us online or call us at 1-888-MEDLAW1 to schedule your free consultation. Home and hospital visits are available. Se habla español.