Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe work environment for their employees.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed to prevent workers from getting seriously injured or killed at work. The OSH law created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which establishes and enforces protective workplace safety and health standards across industries. OSHA also provides information, assistance and training to both employers and workers. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers have the responsibility to provide a safe workplace.
Despite the laws and regulations that are in place to ensure workplace safety, workplace injuries are still quite common. Each year, thousands of workers are injured and many other killed on the job. Each year in October, the preliminary findings for the most frequently cited safety violations for the current year are released by OSHA. This list is compiled on the basis of the inspections carried out by OSHA across the industries throughout the year. This year’s OSHA’s list of top 10 list of safety citations is based on 32,000 inspections by OSHA.
Top 10 Workplace Safety Citations in 2016
Each year, there are around three million work related injuries and around 4,500 deaths reported in the U.S. The OSHA safety citations list was created for employers to follow and refer to when considering worker safety and health.
There are millions of workplaces injuries and thousands of job deaths could be prevented each year. OSHA encourages all employers to use this list as a reference point for workplace safety. Here is the list if top 10 safety violations.
- Fall protection
- Hazard communication
- Scaffolds
- Respiratory protection
- Lockout/tag out
- Powered industrial trucks
- Ladders
- Machine guarding
- Electrical wiring
- Electrical, general requirements
Safety First in the Workplace
A large percentage of workplace injuries involve falls. Workers are prone to falls from heights and unprotected places such as ladders and scaffolds. So, OSHA encourages employers to take necessary fall protection measures in order to prevent workplace injuries and deaths.
Appropriate machine safety guarding and proper lockout procedures are also important to prevent exposing hands and fingers to hazardous moving parts. By using proper safety procedures, employers can prevent machines from being turned on unexpectedly when a worker is working on them. Installing proper safety guards on machines can also improve protection for those who handle dangerous equipment as a part of their routine work.
Employers are required to follow all OSHA standards. Failure to do so will amount to violating federal safety laws, and it will put health and safety of workers at risk. When workers get injured, they may have to claim workers compensation benefits to pay for the medical expenses and make up for the lost wages.
St. Louis Work Injury Attorneys
If you or someone close to you has been injured in the workplace, you may be entitled to workers compensation benefits. You should get in touch with a competent and qualified St. Louis workers compensation lawyer to understand your rights, and to get help with the process.
For more than 20 years, the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann has been helping injured workers get the compensation they need and deserve. Call us today at (314) 361-4300 or fill out our online contact form to request a FREE consultation.