top ten list 2008

[billsnuff]

the results of OSHA violations and fines:

http://www.safetynewsalert.com/oshas-top-10-violations-hit-list-and-highest-penalties-for-2008/

with the current economic conditions, i wonder what the new year holds for safety?

 

[Dr.Sparks]

I attended a 3 day seminar a few years back that was titled "How to survive an OSHA inspection". The Instructor was a retired OSHA inspector and in the first ten minutes of the seminar he said something that was rather interesting:"If your organization requests a voluntary inspection and violations are noted, you have 365 days to correct those violations. However, fines cannot be incurred during that calendar year for those documented items". But heres the kicker: "If you request an additional voluntary inspection within that calendar year, the clock is reset". So in retrospect, if you schedule a voluntary inspection every 364 days you can circumvent the system. If there is a loss of life, all bets are obviously off. But I certainly found it very interesting that this loop hole was being conveyed openly and from a 30+ yrs. employee. Needless to say, I have had 3 voluntary inspections since the seminar:wink:

 

[Rockyd]

I see we, as an industry, made #10. Speaks volumes about various mind sets out there.

Waht I found particularly offensive was the following -

Note: These are NOT OSHA regulations. However, they do provide guidance from their originating organizations related to worker protection.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
70, National Electric Code, (2008).

Might may well be to our advantage to get the NEC as the accepted guidelines for how osha views our end of the industry. I would rather debate the merits of the law within our industry, than to be force-fed per goverment standards. I've already viewed the national defecit, and don't want them managing my money, let alone how the rules should be interpeted. That goes double for tri-hat people that have no experience in the electrical field.