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Safety News:

Budget request for OSHA aimed at increased enforcement, compliance assistance

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. announced that President Bush has requested $501.7 million for OSHA in fiscal year (FY) 2009. The request represents a boost of nearly $15.7 million over the fiscal year 2008 level.

Foulke explained that the increase will support efforts to improve workplace safety and health through compliance assistance and enforcement of occupational safety and health regulations and standards. "We are proposing to increase resources by more than $11.3 million to support enforcement programs, and $5.2 million to provide compliance assistance to employers and employees, especially small businesses," said Foulke.

OSHA has plans to conduct 37,700 workplace inspections throughout FY 2009 and will continue to focus its resources on the most serious hazards and dangerous workplaces, and on industries with high rates of injuries and illnesses. OSHA's Enhanced Enforcement Program focuses on employers who ignore their safety and health obligations, while the Agency's Local and National Emphasis Programs focus on specific industries or safety and health issues.

OSHA Issues Final Rule on PPE
On November 15, 2007
"Employees exposed to safety and health hazards may need to wear personal protective equipment to be protected from injury, illness and death caused by exposure to those hazards," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke Jr. "This final rule will clarify who is responsible for paying for PPE, which OSHA anticipates will lead to greater compliance and potential avoidance of thousands of workplace injuries each year."
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ASSE & ANSI Z359-2007
Fall Protection Completed
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OSHA has published data on its most frequently cited standards, as well as penalty amounts, for fiscal year 2007 (October 2006 through September 2007). Two construction standards (scaffolding and fall protection) rank at the top, both in terms of being cited and in highest penalties.

Top 10 most frequently cited standards:

  1. Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451)
  2. Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501)
  3. Hazard communication standard, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200)
  4. Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147)
  5. Respiratory protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134)
  6. Powered industrial trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178)
  7. Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, general industry (29 CFR 1910.305)
  8. Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053)
  9. Machines, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.212)
  10. Electrical systems design, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.303)

Top 10 highest penalty amounts:

  1. Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451)
  2. Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501)
  3. Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147)
  4. Excavations, requirements for protective systems, construction (29 CFR 1926.652)
  5. Machines, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.212)
  6. General duty clause (Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act)
  7. Powered industrial trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178)
  8. Excavations, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.651)
  9. Aerial lifts (29 CFR 1926.453)
  10. Guarding floor and wall openings and holes, general industry (29 CFR 1910.23)

Transportation News:
New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety

HAND-HELD CELL PHONES/TEXTING PRIMARY OFFENSE - 1 March 2008

New Jersey: US DOT Number Required to Register CMVs  - 19 February 2008

New Jersey has implemented the Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (PRISM) program. Under PRISM, any motor carrier, owner operator, or individual must have a US DOT number to register their vehicle in New Jersey.
http://www.state.nj.us/mvcbiz/



ALERTS

OSHA cites Pennsylvania contractors for workplace hazards on construction site

OSHA has cited five Pennsylvania contractors working on a large construction site for a variety of workplace safety and health violations, assessing a total of $142,600 in fines.

OSHA initiated an investigation on July 5, 2007 in response to an employee complaint. As a result of the investigation:

  • The contracted company engaged in both steel erection and masonry work with 32 employees at the job site, was cited for seven repeat violations and 18 serious violations. The company was fined $129,000 for improper use of scaffolds and inadequate fall protection.
  • The roofing contractor was cited for six serious violations and fined $9,600 for inadequate training for employees and failure to provide ground fault protection in electrical circuits.
  • Another contractor, was cited for three serious violations and fined $1,125 for failure to provide ground-fault protection in electrical circuits and improper use of scaffolds. 
  • A utility installation and site preparation contractor with 17 employees at the job site, was cited for one serious violation. The company was fined $2,500 for failure to provide adequate protection to employees in an excavation.
  • A framing contractor with four employees at the site, was cited for one serious violation and fined $375 for failure to provide ground-fault protection on electrical circuits.


"Each of these hazards added to the likelihood of a potential accident," says Jean Kulp, director of the OSHA Area Office. "With so many contractors involved in this construction project, it's important that each company eliminate the identified violations to make certain all employees stay safe and healthy while working on this job site."

OSHA issues a repeat citation when an employer has been previously cited for a substantially similar violation, and that citation and its penalty have become final. A serious violation is issued when there is substantial probability that death or serious injury could occur from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.


Settlement agreement to bring added protections to employees of Pennsylvania manufacturer

A Pennsylvania manufacturer has agreed to pay $78,000 in penalties and abate the workplace hazards cited by OSHA. Agency inspectors found hazards involving the control of hazardous energy, as well as other safety and health violations.

Under a settlement agreement filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, the company also will expand its safety and health program to offer greater protections for its employees. The company will:

  • Provide enhanced training to all supervisors and managers regarding OSHA requirements for the adequate control of hazardous energy;
  • Expand the coverage provided by an industrial nurse;
  • Restructure a joint union/management safety committee;
  • Conduct special training for all employees on the control of hazardous energy; and
  • Emphasize management commitment and employer involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training.


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