OSHA Defense
Logical Tips to Prevent Safety Citations Part 1
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are over one million work-related injuries and illnesses that occur every year. Unfortunately, the construction industry is among the industry leaders in worksite injuries and fatalities. Along with the obvious safety risks of the occupation, construction sites that fail to meet OSHA’s compliance standards often face steep financial penalties. If you are an employer with a potentially hazardous workplace or if your workplace received a citation recently, we encourage you to contact a Michigan OSHA defense attorney.
In this three-part series, we will first discuss some extremely practical steps you can take at your workplace to avoid citations. In the second section, we will discuss how to properly monitor workers on-site. In the final section, we will focus on the more in-depth preventive methods you can take to avoid receiving citations.
The following information can be reviewed in more detail at the OSHA website.
Know Your Location
The first step to creating a safe work environment is common sense. You need to be aware of your work environment and you need to be aware of any and all potential hazards that may be present at your jobsite. Any hazardous area should be appropriately marked. If a citation is presented during an inspection, it is important to post it near the work area that it relates to. Lastly, it is important to post the required by law OSHA poster in a centralized location for workers to see notifying them of their safety and health rights.
Analyze Potential Problems
Recognizing hazards is a good start, but the next step is anticipating how things could potentially go wrong despite this. You can start by visiting OSHA’s official website and reviewing their most “frequently cited standards” that may be present at your worksite. For example, fall injuries make up nearly half of worksite injuries and are the most frequently cited standard, so if your worksite prominently features ladders and scaffolds then you need to be aware that these activities are more susceptible to work-related injuries and inspection violations.
If employers put these logical concepts into practice at their workplace, they will significantly reduce their chances of failing inspections resulting in a safer and more productive work environment.
If you would like to speak with a Michigan OSHA defense lawyer, please contact us at 1-866-303-5868 or submit our contact request form.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.