Each year the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) releases their list of Top 10 cited safety and occupational violations, and debuting at number 9 with 1,523 violations is Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503). Preliminary data for fiscal year 2017 ended on September 30th and remained largely unchanged from 2016. The full list included:
- Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 6,072 violations
- Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 4,176
- Scaffolding (1926.451): 3,288
- Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 3,097
- Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,877
- Ladders (1926.1053): 2,241
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 2,162
- Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,933
- Fall Protection – Training Requirements: 1,523
- Electrical – Wiring Methods (1910.305): 1,405
Over the last decade of providing safety and occupational training, we have noticed a trend of compliance and awareness training subsequently following enforcement activity. However, the sting of an OSHA citation lasts long, and with an average penalty of $12,675 per violation, retroactive compliance is a poor business practice. Training requirements appearing on OSHA’s 2017 Violation list highlights the importance of an organization’s commitment to having properly trained and certified employees.
According to OSHA, providing stakeholders with comprehensive training is one of the most effective ways to avoiding accidents and citations. An informed workforce is prepared to work safely while increasing productivity. Education and training provides:
- Knowledge and skills needed to do their work safely and avoid creating hazards that could place themselves or others at risk.
- Awareness and understanding of workplace hazards and how to identify, report, and control them.
- Specialized training, when their work involves unique hazards.”
From a financial perspective, the investment of preparatory training significantly outweighs the cost of penalties, fines, medical expenses, lawsuits and lost time.
CHC Training specializes in providing proactive training and certification solutions to thousands of “desk-less workers.” Our approach to OSHA training compliance includes building a relationship with organizations that are focused on maintaining a culture of 100% safety. Regular meetings outline employee occupational training needs, customized curriculum is developed, and certification takes place prior to project activities commencing. Contact us before your next project to build a customized approach to OSHA compliance.
