OSHA Defense
Logical Tips to Prevent Safety Citations Part 3
Practical steps you can take to avoid citations do not stop at just the worksite and with the workers present. In our three-part series, we first discussed the worksite location and ways to logically avoid citations. In the second part, we discussed how to properly monitor your employees. In the final section, we will discuss some more in-depth preventive actions you can take to avoid receiving citations.
As Alabama OSHA attorneys, we are here to speak to you if you are in need of any legal counsel regarding citations. If you do not need to speak to one of our Alabama OSHA lawyers at this time, then please review the following material to help prevent your workplace from receiving citations.
The following information can be reviewed in more detail at the OSHA website.
Communication Offsite
Monitoring your workplace and workers is a critical part of accident and citation prevention; however, it is perhaps just as important to communicate with those critical people offsite to ensure your workplace is up to safety citation standards. Speak with staffing agencies to ensure that all workers present on your jobsite are up to speed on the latest safety procedures. Invest in experienced, third-party auditors to provide you with an honest, outside opinion of your current health and safety standards at your site. Lastly, keep in close communication with your OSHA compliance officer on any safety or health-related issues. When an officer comes to your jobsite for an inspection, you need to make sure that the officer is aware of the names and job titles of any of your employees that will accompany them during the inspection.
Keeping Records Can Be Critical to Your Case
Communication on site and offsite is crucial, but logging reliable documented records can be just as critical in case something goes wrong. Keep detailed records of all work-related injuries and illnesses. If you receive a citation, keep detailed records of the citation and on the day it was corrected by. If you end up needing to employ legal counsel for any reason, these records will become extremely valuable to your case.
By taking the old safety saying and “cultivating a habit of caution,” employers can provide their employees with a safer workplace that maintains compliance standards and greatly reduces the chances of receiving significant citation penalties as well.
If you would like to speak with one of our Alabama OSHA lawyers, 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.