CITE's Workplace Safety Blog

Once again OSHA has announced its top most-frequently cited violations for 2014.

As usual, fall protection and forklifts make the top 10.

Training in both of these subjects could prevent quite a few of these citations and most importantly keep your employees safe. Take a look at the link below:

Safety+Health magazine: https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/11136-osha-announces-top-10-most-cited-violations-for-2014

This is a great example as to why your workers need appropriate training on aerial lifts before using them.

Does your training company provide training on overhead hazards, electrocution, work place inspections?

Or does your training company simply give you a 30-minute class and then issue a qualified operator card?

OSHA requires that all persons who use any powered (battery or internal combustion engine) materials handling equipment must be certified before they use the equipment and recertified every 3 years after initial certification.

So what happens if your company doesn’t recertify an employee?

I just found this great blog about Fall protection and costs:

http://www.rigidlifelines.com/blog/entry/fall-protection-systems-return-on-investment

Thought I’d share here for your review. Here’s a snippet:

When comparing the general costs of a fall protection system to the expenses associated with a workplace fall, it’s clear that the fall protection system is the cheaper option. Yes, there are initial costs. But no, it is not as expensive as having a worker fall.

Read more at Rigid Lifelines!

Want to hear some sobering statistics?

Sudden cardiac arrest happens to over 250,000 people a year. In addition, every 33 seconds in the United States, someone dies due to a heart-related incident.

The good news is that the survival rate can be as high as 60% in ideal circumstances. AED’s can drastically help the survival rate and are fairly straightforward to use. Having a AED in place at your business could not only save a life, but provide your employees peace of mind.

Fall protection requirements for aerial lifts

If you are going to operate an aerial lift, you must be trained how to use it and you must be protected from falling or being ejected when you are on the platform. The type of fall protection you need depends on the type of lift you use. The American National Standards Institute defines and sets operating standards for four different types of aerial lifts:

Originally published by Oregon OSHA Construction Depot:
https://osha.oregon.gov/pubs/newsletters/constructiondepot/OSHAConstructionDepot/2014/05/fall-protection-requirements-for-aerial-lifts.html

One injured after lift connects with power lines

OKLAHOMA CITY – Authorities say one person is being treated for injuries after a piece of equipment caught fire when it connected with power lines on the city’s southeast side.

Firefighters were called to the area of S.E. 31st St. and Hattie, near S.E. 29th and I-35, after receiving reports of a lift on fire.

Originally published by Oklahoma's News 4:
https://kfor.com/2013/11/18/crews-called-to-crane-on-fire-after-it-connects-with-power-lines

OSHA and Scaffold & Access Industry Association Alliance Develop Five Tip Sheets for AWP Equipment

Kansas City, Mo. - Through the OSHA and Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA) Alliance, we are proud to announce the development of five new tip sheets. Each of the tip sheets focus on key methods of using AWP equipment.AWP Jobsite Checklist, AWP Prestart Safety Checklist, Preparing AWP’s for Transport, Rescue Plans for AWPs and Selecting and Implementing a Fall Protection System for an AWP are designed to help the industry understand their responsibilities when operating, transporting and using AWP equipment.

Originally published by Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA):
http://www.saiaonline.org/userfiles/file/AWP%20Prestart%20Safety%20Checklist%20.pdf

OSHA does not have a specific standard that requires the use or installation of seat belts, however, Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) requires employers to protect employees from serious and recognized hazards. Recognition of the hazard of powered industrial truck tip-over and the need for the use of an operator restraint system is evidenced by certain requirements for powered industrial trucks at ASME B56.1-1993 - Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks. National consensus standard ASME B56.1-1993 requires that powered industrial trucks manufactured after 1992 must have a restraint device, system, or enclosure that is intended to assist the operator in reducing the risk of entrapment of the operator's head and/or torso between the truck and ground in the event of a tip-over. Therefore, OSHA would enforce this standard under Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act.

This is an excerpt from an OHSA "Letter of Interpretation" regarding seat belt usage in forklifts. Please keep in mind that both Oregon OSHA and Washington L&I require all operators to wear seat belts in forklifts at all times.

Originally published by OHSA:
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/1996-03-07