T:1-888-755-8010  E: info@FDRsafety.com

T: 1-888-755-8010
E: info@FDRsafety.com

 

Occupational Safety Blog

By Jim Stanley, former No. 2 official at OSHA and President of FDRsafety


Archive for November, 2009

OSHA to respond quickly to GAO report that some companies try to avoid reporting accidents

November 18th, 2009

If there were any doubt that OSHA meant business when it said it was stepping up enforcement of recordkeeping rules, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis dispelled it with her reaction to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.

The GAO said this week that OSHA shouldn’t rely solely on employer data on accidents because there is evidence some companies pressure workers not to report injuries or illnesses. The GAO said that about a third of health providers it surveyed said they have been pressured to withhold medical treatment so a company could avoid filing an injury or illness report.

Solis said she would respond quickly to address issues raised by the report. Earlier this year, OSHA announced a one-year program to increase enforcement of recordkeeping requirements in industries with traditionally high accident rates.

Read a fuller account of the GAO report and the Labor Secretary’s reaction.

If you have a question about how to handle recordkeeping, I would be happy to provide an answer at no charge. Call me at (513) 317-5644.

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A contractor safety program is more important now than ever

November 5th, 2009

This month’s newsletter from FDRsafety contains important information for employers who use contractors on their worksite.

OSHA enforcement is increasing enforcement against companies for exposure of contractor employees to unsafe conditions.

A court ruling earlier this year affirmed OSHA’s ability to issue citations/violations to companies for actions taken by contractors at their worksite, even if the companies didn’t create the hazard and didn’t expose their employees to it. The “New” OSHA is choosing to exercise that authority as part of a wider step-up in enforcement and is applying that authority to industrial companies, not just construction companies.

Companies expecting to use contractors need to plan now – before contractors set foot on the premises – to make sure that they are not needlessly exposing themselves to OSHA liability. If you already have contractors on-site, it’s time to step back and do a thorough review of your contractor safety program.

Every employer that hires outside contractors needs to have a well-defined safety program for contractors, distinct from the safety program for their employees.

Read the newsletter to learn about 7 key steps in preparing a contractor safety program.

And to make sure you don’t miss an issue of the newsletter, sign up on our home page.

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