A Safety and Health Management System should be an integral part of any safety plan at any company. Whether a multinational manufacturer operating facilities in multiple countries, or a small startup with 10 employees and 1 tiny office, a Safety and Health Management System can help your staff avoid dangerous situations, and better prepare your staff in the event of an emergency.

What a Safety and Health Management System is, is a centralized system which is used to house all of your company’s safety regulations. Rather than having dozens of safety procedures stored in dozens of places, they will all be stored together, in a logical order, to allow for quick and easy access to the company policies.

This helps business owners by creating an environment where safety staff, management, and employees can easily and efficiently look up relevant policies to ensure they are being followed. It also allows you to easily cross reference one policy with another. So, if you are performing a task which is governed by multiple policies, such as entering a confined space or reviewing your lockout tagout procedures, you can easily ensure all policies are being followed. Similarly, if you are updating a policy, you can efficiently ensure that all related policies are updated, as well.

If you would like to create a Safety and Health Management System, or if you have any questions about how incorporating one would help your company, please contact us. And if you have anything you would like to add about the many benefits of a Safety and Health Management System, please leave a comment.

In the first part of this series, we discussed the first 4 most commonly cited OSHA violations. In the second part, we discussed the next 3. Today, we will be discussing the three most commonly cited OSHA violation in 2012.

3. Scaffolding, General Requirements, Construction (29 CFR 1926.451)

Scaffolds are an important part of any construction project. They add extra walking and working surfaces to incomplete areas and allow access to otherwise inaccessible area. However, these scaffolds are regulated by this standard, and often are not up to code due to their short-term nature. If your company utilized scaffolds, make sure they are up to code, specifically focusing on access, construction, and their ability to handle the weight of the workers.

2. Hazard Communication Standard, General Industry (29 CFR 1910.1200)

Hazardous materials are a serious threat to employee safety. This standard regulates the signage and other communication surrounding these materials. Make sure all materials are properly labeled. This means that the labels must be accurate and that the labels themselves must also be up to code. Also be sure there is a written policy in place for employees to refer back to.

1. Fall Protection, Construction (29 CFR 1926.501)

This is one of those violations which hover around this number one spot year after year. This standard regulates what protections and devices are in place for workers working at any height of four feet or higher. This height requirement often trips up companies, as they disregard the risks associated with perceived “small falls.” Holes are also a common source of violation, as there are multiple potential standards which holes can fall under. To avoid problems, be sure to have a written plan in place for any employees working at a height over 4 feet, and make sure to communicate this plan to all employees.

And that is it. Those are your top 10 most commonly cited OSHA violations of 2012. If you have any questions about the violations listed here, please contact us. If you have anything to add about any of these standards, please leave a comment.

In our last post, we covered the first 4 most commonly cited OSHA violations of 2012, as per their list. Today, we are going to cover the next 3 most commonly cited standards.

6. Powered Industrial Trucks, General Industry (29 CFR 1910.178)

If you are in an industry which uses these trucks, make sure any employee authorized to operate them is properly trained. This standard focuses heavily on training and refreshers for operators. It also focuses on the vehicles themselves; make sure your trucks are up to code, especially after repairs.

5. Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29 CFR 1910.147)

This standard makes even the most seasoned safety personnel cringe. It is complicated, time consuming, difficult to monitor, and extremely dangerous. OSHA comes down hard on lockout/tagout violators, serving up hefty fines for noncompliance. If your business is regulated by this standard, you need to be sure your procedures are within guidelines, your safety team understands them, and you are adequately monitoring changes. Employee training is also of crucial importance, because if employees do not understand the meaning of the locks and tags, they will potentially endanger themselves and coworkers.

4. Respiratory Protection, General Industry (29 CFR 1910.134)

Dust masks, respirators, self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), and other such devices are all covered by this standard. It sets guidelines regarding fit testing, air quality, exposure limits, testing, and employee training. It also details what is required to be included in a written procedure. Also remember, each device used has its own set of guidelines which must be followed; if you are following the guidelines for dust masks that does not mean your SCBA’s are up to code.

In the third and final post in this series on the most commonly cited OSHA violations, we will be discussing the three most common violations. If you have any questions about the violations listed here, please contact us. If you have anything to add about any of these standards, please leave a comment.

Every year, OSHA releases a list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards. This list is important to review and understand, as it will point to trouble areas others are having and can tip you off to what OSHA is focusing on. When there are major changes to a standard, it is also common to see that standard show up on this list. This year, we are going to briefly discuss each of these standards.

10. Electrical Systems Design, General Requirements, General Industry (29 CFR 1910.303)

This standard has to do with the design of electrical systems, specifically focusing on what measures are in place to prevent electrocution and electric shock. This standard is so often cited simply because it pertains just about every business.

9. Machines, General Requirements, General Industry (29 CFR 1910.212)

This standard pertains to the guarding in place for machinery in your facility. Every machine needs to be properly guarded as per the requirements in this standard; pay particular attention to securing fixed machinery and properly covering blades.

8. Ladders, Construction (29 CFR 1926.1053)

Ladder accidents are on the rise in the United States. Though this standard is often considered complicated, most of the requirements are easy to follow once understood. Eight percent of all workplace deaths are attributed to ladder accidents, so it is important to brush up on this standard.

7. Electrical, Wiring Methods, Components and Equipment, General Industry (29 CFR 1910.305)

As technology advances, so to does the circuitry used to run machinery. But ultimately, all wiring systems require proper labeling, grounding, personal protective equipment, and monitoring. All devices also need to be complete and created up to code. This standard covers all of these topics and more.

In our next post, we will discuss standards 6-4 on the list of most commonly cited OSHA violations. If you have any questions about the violations listed here, please contact us. If you have anything to add to our brief discussion of these standards, please leave a comment.

Every year, June is labeled National Safety Month by the National Safety Council, and as such employers all across the country focus in on safety. Each company does this in a different way, but most try to ensure employees understand the importance of workplace safety. For this one month every year, the nation is focused on creating a safer work environment.

But then July 1st hits, and most people begin to think about their 4th of July plans, or their summer vacations, and the signs come down and emails stop going out, and everything goes back to business as usual. For some employees, the message of National Safety Month lasts a few weeks as they attempt to continue to foster a safer work environment. But for most, once the company’s focus comes off of safety, so, too, does theirs.

And this is the biggest problem with National Safety Month. The focus and attention placed on workplace safety should not end when the month ends; it should continue, at least in a limited capacity, year round. By making safety a focus for your company, you are making it a focus for your employees, and you are greatly reducing the chance of workplace injuries, because your employees are constantly reminded of how to create a safer workplace. There are many benefits to National Safety Month, and with a proper plan in place, these benefits can be seen year round.

For more information on how we can help foster a safer work environment, please contact us. And if you have anything to add about the ill effects of taking the focus off of safety, please leave a comment.