The Top 10 Workplace Safety Violations of 2016
The results are in! The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced for the Fiscal Year 2016, the most frequently cited workplace safety violations. Without further adieu, we are counting down the Top 10 Safety Violations of 2016!
You won’t BELIEVE what came in at Number 1…
#10 Electrical – General Requirements
There have already been 2,056 safety violations this year alone for electrical requirements. These include infractions regarding mechanical strength and durability, classification of systems and parts used, connection space, electrical enclosures and safeguards.
#9 Machine Guarding
Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, and electronic safety devices, that can protect workers in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, in-going nip points, rotating parts, flying chips, and sparks. So far this year, there have been 2,200 safety violations of machine guarding.
#8 Ladders
There have been 2,448 ladder safety violations this year. These include issues with ladder safety devices, ladder load minimums and maximums, environments in which ladders are used, and debris on or around ladders.
#7 Electrical – Wiring Methods
Different than general requirements, wiring methods includes components and usage of electrical equipment. This includes voltage requirements, definition of temporary lighting, environments in which electrical equipment can be used, and various requirements for different types of equipment including raceways, sheaths, fittings, and conductors. 2,490 violations have been cited by OSHA this year so far.
#6 Powered Industrial Trucks
This relates to safety requirements relating to fire protection, design, maintenance, and use of fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines. Infractions are related to things such as design requirements, truck identification, and after market attachments and modifications. 2,662 violations have been cited in 2016 already.
#5 Lockout/Tagout
Also known as “Control of Hazardous Energy”, there have been 2,704 infractions regarding Lockout/Tagout this year. This includes servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment in which the unexpected energization or start up of the machines or equipment, or release of stored energy, could harm employees.
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#4 Respiratory Protection
3,223 violations have been cited by OSHA regarding the control of those occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors. Violations include issues relating to respirators applicable and suitable for purposes intended, and maintenance of respiratory protection program.
#3 Scaffolding
There have been 4,029 safety violations to do with scaffolding this year. This includes violations regarding scaffold design, load capacity, and suspension rope and connecting hardware.
#2 Hazard Communication
Hazard Communication is regarding the hazards of all chemicals produced or imported are classified, and that information concerning the classified hazards is transmitted to employers and employees. In 2016 so far, there have been 5,161 violations. This includes labeling and classification, employee training, and laboratory facilities.
#1 Fall protection
A whopping 6,143 fall protection violations have already been cited by OSHA this year. This is almost a thousand more infractions than the second most sited violation. This includes violations regarding fall protection systems including guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. The fact that fall protection is the most sited violation is especially significant considering OSHA sited falls as the #1 cause of death in the workplace. In the 2013 fiscal year alone, almost 40% of workplace deaths (294 out of 796) were caused by falls.
The 2016 fiscal year is not up yet, so we will be revisiting this topic at the end of the year to see if these numbers improve!
If you are committing any of these workplace safety violations, it is time to revise your safety protocol! Check out our whitepapers on important information on safety procedures.