Companies, construction sites, businesses, and stores all over the nation have violated an OSHA standard at one time or another. According to an article from The National Safety Council, OSHA has compiled a list of the Top 10 standards that have been violated the most in 2012. The occupational safety and health administration developed these standards to help employers establish better safety practices and avoid injuries in the workplace. Unfortunately, some employers choose to violate these standards; this article will cover the first five standards in detail.
Construction site injuries are a common unfortunate outcome of violated OSHA standards. According to the article, the first standard that has the most violations for 2012 is fall protection. For example, construction sites can be very dangerous and have many potential falling hazards. The first standard outlines various situations in which fall protection is required, and which safety systems are appropriate for said situations. If safety systems are installed improperly or not at all, the risk of a falling hazard is much more severe. Our Chicago personal injury attorneys represent dozens of injured construction workers each year who have been involved in an accident at work where the proper safety hazards weren’t properly installed.
The next standard addresses the dangers of chemicals and hazardous materials that are produced in some workplace environments and how those hazards are communicated to the employees. Dangerous chemicals in the workplace can cause serious sometimes fatal injuries. This standard directs employers how to communicate these hazards properly and efficiently to employers.
The third most violated standard deals with scaffolding and the general safety requirements on how it should be constructed and loaded. The standard states that employers are required to protect construction workers from falls and falling objects while working on or near scaffolding at heights of 10 feet or higher. The construction of scaffolding on a site is extremely important and detrimental to the safety of the workers. OSHA has issued over three thousand citations to companies that have violated this standard.
Respiratory protection is the next standard and outlines employee training worksite-specific procedures dealing with proper respiratory protection. This standard also pertains to medical evaluations and fitness testing for employees involved and how to carefully maintain and service respirators.
The final standard is another one that is commonly overlooked by employers: ladders. The standard pertains to all the general use and maintenance of ladders on the job site. This standard is closely related to fall protection and can be avoided with the proper precautions.
Accidents in the workplace happen almost daily; however, it is extremely important for employers to set up the proper safety precautions for their employees and follow the standards put in place by the occupational safety health administration to help prevent injuries from occurring.
If you have been injured at work, turn to Morici, Longo & Associates for the help you need throughout the workers' compensation claims process. Call today for a free case review.
