Tips & Updates about OSHA & Hazwoper Training Courses | Safety Tips

Osha fined Splash Hand wash a Connecticut based company in Fairfield $62,500 for an injury of an employee at the carwash. OSHA proposed fines for alleged repeat violations by the company. A Splash employee suffered various foot and ankle injuries after he got caught in a conveyer tank. One cannot imagine having carwash as a dangerous place but hazards can be associated anywhere if safety measures do not get implement. On investigating OSHA identified various chemical, mechanical, electrical hazards associated with the equipment being used in the carwash. As a result OSHA cited 11 serious violations to Splash Hand wash. The violations include unguarded conveyeor opening with uncovered electrical outlets in wet areas, misused usage of extension cords, grounded terminals being energized, a locked exit which is generally used for emergency, unmarked exist doors, tripping hazards from uneven concrete and hoses lying in work areas, unguarded bells & pulleys, untested safety valves on air...

OSHA i.e. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a department under the Department of Labor, US. OSHA is primarily concerned with combating, identifying, reducing and finally eliminating, even if not entirely, work place hazards. Homicide is known to be the fourth highest workplace hazard in the United States of America and it is essential that each and every individual’s rights are safeguarded against such inhuman activities. What is workplace violence? Workplace violence refers to any act that may be socially, morally wrong and can be forced upon someone with an intention to hurt a fellow being. Some of the common activities cited as workplace violence are: • Use of abusive language • Physical assault • Throwing things at people • Stalking people outside office hours • Threatening phone calls • Threats • Stress It is interesting to note that workplace violence is not limited to acts committed at the workplace alone it also refers to misconduct by colleagues even outside the...

When you expect an inspection from OSHA, you know you need to be prepared but the thing is OSHA can perform an inspection any time of the year. They often come uninvited and can take you by surprise. It’s not that you are violating anything but it’s best if you stay prepared when they come knocking at your door. So, how do you take the precautions? We will tell you the four basic steps to get ready for an OSHA inspection. First what you need to do is stay in compliance. Second you need to train and assign a primary and backup individual to administer the inspection with the OSHA inspector. Third is to train the first contact person in your company like the receptionist or anyone else. Tell them to speak very little but clear enough for the inspectors to understand. Be honest and don’t mislead any OSHA inspector as that will bring trouble later. Lastly, do assign some responsibility for the primary and backup individual like: • Ask for credentials if it’s not been offered • Learn about...

Why would one be concerned about safety and health related matters at their workplace when their work is just to do their tasks done? Making a safe and healthy atmosphere at workplace is the moral responsibility of a manager. Managers must bring in the safety measures promising material security to their employees and should able to take appropriate actions in case of any accidents. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advices workers to take precautionary procedures regarding safety and health related matters. To provide your workplace a safe and healthy environment to work on, here are some points that center some key factors of menace. Make healthy and safe environment Make health and safety related issues a priority at your workplace. Do not neglect any matter which concerned to employees health and safety. You may contact the workplace safety legislation governing in the area of your workplace and take proper advice from them. Make your employees aware about the he...

Find out why online safety training is considered better than classroom training. OSHA Outreach training is the strong safety course for each person working in a construction industry. Learn safety and health programs and diminish workplace violence and make your business safer. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s i.e. OSHA’s outreach course is the strong pillar of any industrial accident and safety prevention program at the work place. OSHA 10 hour safety courses are formulated for workers, supervisors and everyone working in the construction industry. OSHA proposes outreach training courses as a proper guidance to industrial safety and health of workforce. It is must for workers to achieve training according to OSHA standards on any hazardous accidents at work place. After the completion of OSHA 10 hour outreach construction training successfully, members will have to collect their OSHA construction health and safety 10 Hour course certificate from the Labor departmen...

Taking OSHA compliance safety training online is the best way to acquire safety training programs. Working in a safe and healthy environment is really very important for any business to grow. The rules and regulations are getting changed frequently, so it is not sufficient to go for training at the start of your vocational period and believe that it’s done. You need a regular update and training throughout your work life. But due to the busy schedules, taking out time to travel long distance and go for training is quite difficult as it is tiring after a day’s work. Here, an online training will help you out to overcome this problem. Today, Internet has provided us many facilities which we can complete with our convenience. We can shop online, make online conferences and meet people, communicate online, and now we can get trainings online in own comfort zone considering our schedules. It is possible to plan safety training around your work schedules rather than scheduling your training ...

The death of construction workers in West Campus, drew a flood of federal inspectors to the state. This resulted in U.S Hispanic Contractors Association who would host a training event in case of health & safety for construction workers. This event will feature consultants from OSHA Administration. In the construction industry 3,4 individuals die daily out of which 2 are Hispanic. The main purpose is to recognize and prevent accidents which has been certified by OSHA. Many people know the standards & regulations but if you do not have to abate that would lead to prevention of hazards when the problem starts. Last year around 120 workers died in the construction jobs in Texas, which is the highest in the nation. This workplace injury represents the family of workers who died on June 10 with a lawsuit against the construction company. With around 5 sections of scaffolding fall they cause three construction workers to fall in death. One survived by jumping from scaffolding to hang...

A fine of $32,700 has been levied upon in April for the death of a worker at Torrance refinery with a criminal investigation opened up by state agency for workplace safety. This cited ExxonMobile for 2 serious violations with one general violation resulting in death of Nelson Tan. This person Tan suffered second and third degree burns with 85 percent body stuck by blast of boiling water shotting 25 feet out of piece of equipment who was working at refinery. We have fully cooperated the OSHA investigation which would comment on individual citations under their review. One would consider an appeal only after they have completed the review of citations. The company has 15 business days within which they can appeal to issue the deadline. The criminal investigation is in very early stages as it does not begin until any potential workplace safety violations which are analyzed. Leading to this, largest fine assessed violations of around $22,500 with a failure to provide clear written instruc...

Xcel Energy Inc which is a public Service Company has been indicated for OSHA violations by workplace safety & health rules with its regulations. This grand jury charges have been implemented with death of five men employed in RPI Coating Inc near GeorgeTown, Colardo which is operated by Xcel Energy and Public Service Company. These men were working inside a large, drained water pipe called penstock when fire erupted. This escape from the penstock was blocked by fire where the men died due to asphyxiation leading to inhalation of carbon monoxide produced by fire. This company is charged with five counts of violating OSHA regulation causing death making fine of more than $500,000 per count. If the fines are being convicted then the owners of the company can face up for more than 6 months imprisonment with a fine upto $250,000 for each count.

Americold Logistics might have to pay $117,000 in penalties if a citation is upheld from federal safety officials. The OSHA cited the arm owners for 19 allegedly serious violations which threaten the healthy and safety of workers at the facility. The workers at the company’s refrigerated warehouse and distribution facility were exposed to multiple episodes of life threatening disease due to improper procedures of malfunctioning. It is imperative that employers need to eliminate hazards to provide a safe and healthy working environment for the workers to prevent injuries and illness from occurring. OSHA cited the company following an inspection which could be conducted making site specific targeted program with 19 violations and other serious violations for OSHA Act. The serious violations relate to inadequate process safety management of hazardous chemicals with lack of emergency responses and poor respiratory protection for workers. These violations were related to permit confined ...

Local business are preparing for new emphasis by federal regulations on worker safety with record keeping. This scrutiny leads to more leads from audits for companies which flunk in strenuous review. The U.S OSHA Administration created enforce to large and growing no. of worker safety laws and regulations which issued site specific target plan for the year in effect that the agency would be tougher on injury rates in specialized industries. This plan mentioned nursing homes, with workers suffering back and limb injuries in caring for the patients as an industry who faces special attention. There is a program in burecartic work called as “National Emphasis Program which is potentially a significant tool for local businesses pointing to escape OSHA attention with range of targeted industries. This plans to examine companies which report low injury rates due to injury with idea that many companies underreport the need for record keeping. The agency estimates that as many as 20% of busines...

The inspectors of federal state cited the Griffin Industries rendering plant in Starke with around six safety violations which are proposed for $91,000 in fines as stated by OSHA law. This citation includes a willful violation for not providing workers with fall protection above an industrial blender with a repeat violation for conducting an annual audit of tag out for equipment energy sources. This citation include three serious and one other violation for failing to anchor an machine which provides a lock out for equipment for shutting down equipment during cleaning for not covering floor hole. Griffin has 15 business days from the receipt of citations to request an informal conference with OSHA for its penalties. The company headquartered in this area collects and recycles the poultry related products for use in pet animals for food, leather and petroleum industries.

USG plant in Southland Okla, earned the prestigious VPP Star Status award for outstanding performance in safety processes. The officials from U.S Department of Labor will present an award with a special flag during the ceremony at the plant. The Southard plant manufactures brand gypsum panels with around 250 gypsum plaster products. This plant was started in 1905 and began manufacturing in such panels in 1922 making Southard plant the most operated line. The Star Status which is awarded by OSHA is the highest award any employee, management would work together to implement safety and health programs making them protect the employees. The USG Corporation Plant received this award due to its dedication to safety of employees and management. The VPP Award requires high level of commitment from the employees and support from the company. To qualify for VPP Star Consideration, the Southard employees focus on hazard recognition, improving housekeeping, engineering controls, training and safe ...

International Bridge & Iron Company, a manufacturer of steel bridge parts faces a total of $225,000 in proposed fines from U.S Department of Labor for new safety hazards at Conn Manufacturing plant. OSHA opened up an inspection in response to a complaint and found that several hazards were similar to those cited in 2007. This included unguarded stairs, a lack of eye protection, uncertified employee training preventing unintended startup of machinery during maintenance, etc all of which resulted in an injury to the workers. This condition resulted in issuance of 17 repeat violations, carrying around $150,000 for proposed fines. This violations were for repeat citations making an employer being cited for similar hazards with citations becoming final one. The sizeable fines proposed in reflect both the breadth of hazards found in the workplace and employer’s failure to prevent the recurrence of hazardous conditions would be left unaddressed leading to fall, lacerations, electrocutio...

International Bridge & Iron Co, which is a manufacturer of structural steel parts faces $225,500 fines from U.S Department of Labor OSHA. The proposed fines are for the safety hazards which arise out of manufacturing plant here. When OSHA office inspected the plant in February in response to complaint they found that several hazards were similar to those cited in 2007 inspection. This included un-guarded stairs, a lack of eye protection, and uncertified employee training preventing unintended start up of machinery making cranes achieving bumper bridges, uninspected ropes and lifting hooks all of which damaged electrical equipment or wiring. All these conditions resulted in issuance of 17 repeat violations, carrying around $150,000 for proposed fines. This citations were issued when employer had previously been cited for substantial hazards making citations becoming final. Along with this an additional $75,500 fines had been proposed for 16 violations. A serious violation has also b...

OSHA has proposed $148,000 in fines against electrical contractor which is in connection with an electrical fire at Old YMCA in Stamford, Conn. The two electrician were working around energized 480 volt distribution panel when an electrical arc flash blast occurred burning one of the workers. The investigation found that panel had not been the first to de-energize the working with the employees being supplied the required amount of personal protective equipment. As a result OSHA has issued the contractor 2 willful citations carrying $140,000 in penalties. So OSHA has fined a citation which is committed to plain indifference with intentional disregard for employee safety and health. The contractor has been issued one serious violation, with $7000 fine for not training employees on safety related electrical work citing them with incomplete illness or injury. The serious citations are being issued when death or physical harm is likely to result from hazards about which the employer knew o...

OSHA fined Brigham Farms around $69,500 for alleged safety violations at Ball Ground which is a poultry additive facility. This violations came from a previous inspection in August which revealed that the workers were exposed to propionic acid and formaldehyde which were not being provided as an eye wash and shower area and the employer had been implemented a hazard communication plan on using chemicals like propionic acid. The citations include 11 violations with a proposed penalty of $26,400 which include the failure to conduct an initial process hazard analysis for production of substance which contains formaldehyde. This employer did not have training program using formaldehyde which failed to develop a program or provide chemical clothing which failed to have action plan with emergency procedures blocked routes a change room and exposed employees all of which would require a medical surveillance program. There are also violations with a proposed penalty of around $21,200 each of w...

Heberle Disposal Services Inc, a N.Y solid waste collection company faced violations worth $304,200 in fines from OSHA, for falling to correct the hazards during the inspections for new safety hazards at Alvanar Road. OSHA Cited the company for 12 serious violations. A new follow up inspection found that five of 12 cited hazards remain uncorrected, with improper transfer of flammable liquids which would ensure that employees are competent enough to operate industrial trucks, with training employees about the hazardous chemicals in the workplace with determination of employee’s medical fitness to go for a respirator. This company has been cited with 3 repeat violations amounting $8400 in fines with new hazardous conditions similar to those cited in 2008, with an unguarded disc grinder, with improperly adjusted work rest on a bench grinder with ungrounded power cord. The 2 serious citations with around $6,000 in fines would have been issued with $1,800 for posting in OSHA citations alon...

Finally OSHA approved Illinois State for the public protection plan with the state being the first state to receive the approval from OSHA for having its own plan for employee safety and health. Illinois became the fifth state along with New York, New Jersey and various others to have its own safety health program which is in line with OSHA enforcement. The 29 CFR Part 1956 act under OSHA allows states to establish plans which would cover state and government employees which are excluded from federal coverage’s. This plan will be administered by Illinois Department of Labor Safety, Inspection and Education division. This program will all cover more than 1 million public workers, which would include 161,200 state government workers and a large number of municipal workers. The state of Illinois has been provided protection to public employees for many years which would know meet additional requirements of federal OSHA Program. This state would now enforce standards which are identical to...