Dive Brief:
- OSHA released its top 10 most cited safety violations for fiscal year 2017 during the National Safety Council Congress & Expo 2017. At the top of the list: Fall protection in construction.
- Other top infractions include lack of a hazard communication plan, improper scaffolding, poor respiratory protection and lockout/tagout violations.
- Fall protection makes another showing on the list; "fall protection — training requirements" is the ninth and newest member of OSHA's ranking. The list is currently preliminary, but it is not expected to change.
Dive Insight:
Fall protection changes went into effect at the beginning of the year, but employers took some time to implement those changes, which sought to bring all workplaces in line with current construction-level regulations.
The current administration introduced a new paradigm, however. OSHA press releases all but stopped coming out and a number of OSHA agenda items were pushed back or delayed. Only recently did OSHA release its regulatory agenda to the public — and it was a shock to some, who thought they would see more plans to eliminate certain rules. The "lockout/tagout" rule for machinery (cited as a top violation) saw an update in the Obama era but has so far remained on the agenda in some form, though it too has seen some delays. A Request for Information is expected in April 2018, according to Business Insurance.
In good news for employers, the electronic records rule or the "recordkeeping rule" has been was delayed until Dec. 1. Many were concerned that a public database of injury data could reveal private information about a company's activities and also show injury information out of context. But it's not dead; employers still need to be prepared to comply.
Regardless, OSHA's agenda has been slowed thanks to a trickle of political appointments. Now that more leadership positions are actually filled, there could be some movement on those agenda items that have stalled.
