Tag: osha news

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U.S. Department of Labor to Hold Meeting of the Construction Advisory Committee Workgroups to Discuss Industry Hazards

MEWP

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WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor will hold a teleconference meeting of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) Workgroups on Thursday, March 5, 2020.

The Education, Training and Outreach workgroup will meet from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST to discuss trench safety and fall prevention. The Emerging and Current Issues workgroup will meet from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST to discuss opioids and suicides in construction.

WHAT:          Teleconference Meeting of Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health Workgroups

WHEN:          Thursday, March 5, 2020

  • Education, Training and Outreach workgroup: 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Emerging and Current Issues workgroup: 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST

WHERE:       Teleconference Dial-in Number 888-658-5408   Passcode 7001480

Attendance will be by teleconference only. For additional information about the telecommunication requirements for the meeting, please contact Veneta Chatmon at (202) 693-2020, or by e-mail at chatmon.veneta@dol.gov.

Comments and requests to speak must be submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking Portal, by mail or facsimile. Requests and submissions are due by Feb. 28, 2020. Read the Federal Register notice for submission details and telecommunications requirements. The meeting is open to the public.

Established under the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970, ACCSH advises the Secretary of Labor and Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health on construction standards and policy matters.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

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Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards

This past September the top 10 most frequently citedFall Protection Safety Training
workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2019 were released by OSHA. It is common knowledge that the rankings for the top 10 generally do not vary much from year to year. This does not mean the list is irrelevant or unimportant.

Each violation that occurred is a reminder of the hazards employees face on a daily basis when they clock in for work. And each violation that occurred most likely resulted in an injury of some type, maybe even death! The list serves as a reminder there is still work to be done to ensure the safety of all U.S. workers. As you read through the list, let it ignite a desire to expect better and to be proactive where safety is concerned as a company, as an employer, and as an employee.

OSHA’s Top 10 most cited workplace safety violations

Fall Protection (1926.501) leads the list again for the
ninth consecutive year with over 6,000 violations. Moving up a spot is
Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) from number five last year to number four. It
switched places with Respiratory Protection (1910.134) which is down to number
five. Here is the complete list:

  1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) with 6,010 violations
  2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200) with 3,671 violations
  3. Scaffolding (1926.451) with 2,813 violations
  4. Lockout / Tagout (1910.147) with 2,606 violations
  5. Respiratory Protection (1910.134) with 2,450 violations
  6. Ladders (1926.1053) with 2,345 violations
  7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) with 2,093 violations
  8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503) with 1,773 violations
  9. Machine Guarding (1910.212) with 1,743 violations
  10. PPE – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102) with 1,411 violations

As responsible employers, we must do our best to ensure the safety and health of our employees. Keep these topics in mind as you think through your safety training schedule for 2020. How can you mitigate risks? How can you ensure your employees understand the material?