OSHA Compliance

Oily waste safety cans are an essential safety device where ever cloths and wiping rags are used with oils and solvents. Rags and cloths soaked with solvents, thinners, linseed oil, combustible adhesives, and other flammable liquids present a serious fire risk if they are improperly discarded. These cans have specially designed lids that open no…...

This is another part of my recent respirator articles; my attempt to help up-and-coming program administrators understand what OSHA is actually requiring as the absolute minimums.  This post is about the “numbers” we see and hear when discussing respiratory protection.  As I posted a few months ago, during an audit for a client, we came…...

ATTENTION FOOD PROCESSOR CLIENTS:  OSHA is onto the Clean-In-Place (CIP) process and how it contains “hazardous energy sources”, which in turn makes opening up the CIP system a “line-break” and LOTO activity.  These citations center around PPE and LOTO issues at a food plant where workers were exposed to “hot water”. OSHA has cited a…...

In OSHA’s fiscal year 2018 the agency performed 148 PRCS Inspections, resulting in 358 citations worth $1,520,294. The top 5 industries accounted for 25 of these inspections, 84 citations, and $343,738 in penalties.  Total for all industries and the Top 5 industries shown in the table below.  Also, below is a breakdown of all 2018…...

2018 was a busy LOTO year for OSHA, with 1,464 LOTO Inspections, resulting in 2,657 citations worth $13,860,475. The top 5 industries accounted for 257 of these inspections, 463 citations, and $2,192,163 in penalties. Citations Inspections Penalty Industry Classification 105 56 $396,777 32192 / Wood Container and Pallet Manufacturing 102 59 $340,169 33271 / Machine…...

Listed below are the standards which were cited by Federal OSHA for the specified NAICS Code: 311 Food Manufacturing during the period October 2017 through September 2018. Penalties shown reflect current rather than initial amounts. Summary: The Food Manufacturing Sector was inspected 554 times and received 1,609 citations totaling $7,511,783 in citations. The top five…...

2018 was a busy PSM year for OSHA, with 100 PSM Inspections, resulting in 414 citations worth $2,190,768. The top 5 industries accounted for 37 of these inspections, 162 citations, and $1,194,832 in penalties. Citations Inspections Penalty Industry Classification 47 9 $384,428 31161 / Animal Slaughtering and Processing 33 6 $209,173 32518 / Other Basic…...

This case involved a contractor working in a Chlor-Alkali Unit when there was a Cl2 leak.  Six of the contractors had to go to the hospital due to exposure to Cl2 due to their inability to evacuate up-wind.  There was a lot of factors in this case, but OSHA issued two citations: HAZCOM – as…...

MSDSonline has shared their LOI from OSHA regarding 16 well-crafted questions they submitted to OSHA regarding the GHS HAZCOM standard. Some of OSHA’s answers may be a wake-up call for some businesses who “import” chemicals and most will be surprised by who is an “importer” in the eyes of OSHA…. Membership Required You must be...

OSHA’s Regional Emphasis Program (REP) to reduce injuries, illnesses and fatalities related to workers’ exposures in fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate (FGAN) and agricultural anhydrous ammonia mixing/blending, storage, and distribution facilities has some very focused items for those facilities that store, handle, and dispense NH3 (29 CFR 1910.111). The standard applies to all facilities storing, handling,…...

The 2017 Top 10 violations, from both General Industry and Construction, are: #1 – Fall Protection, Duty to provide (29 CFR 1926.501): 7,270 violations #2 – HAZCOM (29 CFR 1910.1200): 4,552 violations #3- Scaffolds – general requirements (29 CFR 1926.451): 3,336 violations #4 – Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134): 3,118 violations #5 – Lockout/Tagout (29 CFR…...