The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced its most frequently cited workplace safety violations for this year at the 2016 National Safety Council Congress and Expo.
Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA’s directorate of enforcement programs, presented the list on Tuesday before the world’s largest gathering of safety professionals, as part of this year’s NSC Congress and Expo in Anaheim, California.
OSHA’s Top 10 Violations for 2016, which was unveiled on the expo floor, includes fall protection, hazard communication, scaffolds, respiratory protection, lockout/tagout, powered industrial trucks, ladders, machine guarding, electrical wiring and electrical/general requirements.
According to NSC President and CEO Deborah A.P. Hersman, the annual OSHA list serves as a guide for businesses to address the biggest safety risks workers can encounter each and every year.
“We look forward to working with employers to reduce these incidents and ensure every workplace is on a journey to safety excellence,” she added.
While private businesses that operate in the school transportation industry must comply with OSHA guidelines, school districts do not have to follow these regulations since they are considered government agencies. However, many districts still base their safety practices and risk management directives on the same federal principles.
The final report on the Top 10 violations for this year will be published in the December edition of NSC’s Safety+Health magazine.
OSHA also released a set of Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs, an update to the agency’s 1989 guidelines to reflect changes in the economy, workplaces and evolving safety and health issues.
NSC reported that work deaths are at the highest level since 2008. The updated recommendations from OSHA give “employers a fresh approach to protecting employees, and we are confident they can help save lives,” NSC said in a statement.
“Workplaces have changed dramatically since the recommended practices were last updated 25 years ago, so employers need real-world information and tools to adjust accordingly,” NSC added. “That begins with understanding that we cannot keep workers safe and healthy just by minimizing hazards and risks. Employers must engage their workers and create a positive safety culture to set the organization on a Journey to Safety Excellence.”
