As we're sure you know, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) was established in 1970 "to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance." In order for OSHA to succeed in this mission, companies must be in compliance of its safety standards. And that means that employers must be aware of them. So to enhance your safety awareness, here's a list of the top five OSHA violations and tips on how to avoid them:

1. Lockout/Tagout - Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) refers to specific procedures to prevent injuries due to unexpected startup of machinery or release of hazardous energy during maintenance activities. Compliance with the LOTO standard (29 CFR 1910.147: control of hazardous energy) prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year! Make sure your practices conform to the site lockout procedure in order to safeguard against injuries, such as amputations, and death. Always ask for direction if you have any uncertainty.
   
   
2. Machine guarding - These are the practices that preclude moving machine parts from causing severe workplace injuries - crushed fingers or hands, amputations, burns or blindness - or even death. Never bypass a moving equipment guard and always report damaged or missing guards. Until a damaged guard is repaired or a missing guard is put into place, make sure all workers are taking injury preventative actions.
   
   
3. Hazard communication - Chemicals pose not only health hazards, like irritation, sensitization and carcinogenicity, but also physical hazards, such as flammability, corrosion and reactivity. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) ensures the availability and dissemination of information about these hazards and associated protective measures. Familiarize yourself with the MSDS information of all chemicals you and your employees work with and make sure you are implementing proper protective programs and training.
   
   
4. Powered industrial trucks - Tens of thousands of injuries related to powered industrial trucks (PIT), or forklifts, occur each year in workplaces across the U.S. Most PIT incidents involve property damage, as well. Unfortunately, most injuries and damages are due to lack of safe operating procedures, deficient safety-rule enforcement and inadequate training. So in order to prevent both injury and liability, make sure your workplace does not fall into one of these three categories.
   
   
5. Flexible cord use - Before a flexible (extension) cord set is used, instruct all workers to inspect for two types things: external defects - like loose parts, missing pins or damage to insulation - and evidence of internal damage - such as a pinched or crushed outer jacket. Replace cords that power "fixed" equipment with appropriate permanent wiring. Also, practice running extension cords overhead or taping them down to prevent tripping.

It is difficult to keep track of all the safety standards and precautions you should be adhering to. That's why it's very helpful to partner with a company like Arbill. We specialize in workplace safety - not only by providing safety equipment, but also by providing you with the training and consultation you need to ensure your workers return home safely every day.

For more information on the Environment Health & Safety (EH&S) Consulting and Training we offer, visit Arbill online or call 800-523-5367 to speak to one of our workplace safety specialists.

About Arbill
Arbill offers innovative industrial safety products, safety services and safety training programs to protect workers on the job. Arbill uses a customer-focused process that values the direct return on investment of each personalized safety program by reducing the hard costs of insurance, missed work and litigation.

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