What is OSHA?
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA, was introduced “to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance”.
While OSHA sometimes gets a bad reputation for their numerous requirements and steep fines for noncompliance, they have decreased the number of workplace illnesses, injuries, and fatalities by over 80% since their inception in the early 1970s.
Costly Violations
OSHA creates enforcement policies and targeted inspection programs, and responds to fatalities, catastrophes, and complaints. If they find a company is not in compliance with their safety standards, they can face serious financial penalties ranging from $14,502 to $145,027 per violation. For 2021, the most common violations from around the country were:
- Fall Protection (5,271 violations)
- Respiratory Protection (2,521 violations)
- Ladders (2,018 violations)
- Scaffolding (1,943 violations)
- Hazard Communication (1,939 violations)
- Lockout/Tagout (1,670 violations)
- Fall Protection Training Requirements (1,660 violations)
- Eye and Face Protection (1,451 violations)
- Powered Industrial Trucks (1,404 violations)
- Machine Guarding (1,105 violations)
Protecting Workers
OSHA reviews worker safety in many types of industries, including construction, general industry, maritime, agriculture, and the federal sector. The largest OSHA fine in history was issued to BP Products North America, Inc. in 2005 in the amount of $87 million, after an explosion at a Texas refinery killed 15 people and injured another 170.
Unfortunately, unsafe working environments can still be a problem today.
- In 2021, a water utilities construction company in Boston was fined almost $1.3 million after two workers were struck by a dump truck and pushed into a nine foot trench, causing their deaths.
- An aluminum parts manufacturer had a history of repeated safety violations, and was fined $1.2 million after a worker was hit and killed by a machine’s barrier door.
- And a grain facility in Wisconsin was fined over $676,000 after the engulfment death of a corn silo manager. These tragic accidents highlight the continued importance of OSHA in maintaining safe work environments for employees.
At Steadfast Entities, LLC, we make safety a priority. We are signatory with The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 542, who employs a rigorous training program for all equipment operators.
Once assigned to a Steadfast project, they are further trained on our specialized equipment. By combining modern, reliable equipment with well trained, top-tier employees, we ensure a satisfying customer experience and safe, happy workers.
Contact us about your project today: jhworthy@steadfastentities.com