The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently listed its top 10 most frequently cited violations at the annual National Safety Council Congress and Expo. When choosing a roofing contractor or any contractor for that matter, it is important to review these items and choose a reputable company that follows OSHA regulations.
The top 10 OSHA Citations are:
1. Fall Protection-Falls from ladders and roof account for the majority of injuries at height. Fall hazards need to be properly identified and workers need to be protected from injury.
2. Hazard Communication-In order to ensure chemical safety in the workplace, information must be available about the identities and hazards of all chemicals in use. Both the failure to develop and maintain a written and proper training program for employees, as well as the failure to provide a safety data sheet for each hazardous chemical, top the list.
3. Scaffolding-The vast majority of scaffold accidents can be attributed to the planking or support of the scaffold giving way, or to employees slipping or being struck by falling objects.
4. Respiratory Protection-Respirators protect workers against oxygen-deficient environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors and sprays. These hazards can cause cancer, lung impairments and other diseases or death.
5. Lockout/Tag out-Workers who service mechanical and electrical equipments face the greatest risk of injury if LOTO is not properly implemented. Workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy can lose and average of 24 workdays for recuperation.
6. Powered Industrial Trucks-Many employees are injured when lift trucks are driven off loading docks or when they fall between docks and unsecured trailers. Most incidents also involve property damage, including damage to overhead sprinklers, racking pipes, walls and machinery.
7. Electrical-wiring methods-Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard.
8. Ladders-These types of violations typically occur when ladders are used for purposes other than those designated by the manufacturer.
9. Machine Guarding-The risk of employee injury is substantially reduced by installing and maintaining the proper machine guarding.
10. Electrical-General requirements-This standard contains many guidelines to ensure that all electrical components at a work site are installed and maintained safely.
Excerpt from "2014 Most Frequently cited OSHA Standards" M. Reilly NCBJ
