It appears MIOSHA (the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has ramped up its “unannounced” inspections this past year with small business machine and repair shops and buildering contractors, both in General Industry or Construction categories. Fines have been levied. The wise adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” definitely has an application when it comes to safety in the workplace.
A multi-year review of the top 10 most frequently cited MIOSHA and OSHA violations show that violation types have remained fairly constant. BCN Services will be dedicating this blog to safety issues throughout 2018 to raise awareness, educate and remediate the most serious of these violations.
No matter what the violation, the safety inspector always wants to see training plans. When inspectors arrive, they check to see if the employer has properly trained employees regarding worksite hazards. As a client of BCN Services, you have access, at no charge, to state-of-the-art, OSHA-compliant online safety courses for each of the following top 10 most serious violations, according to MIOSHA statistics:
- Lacking a hazard communication program – average fine: $512*
- Non-operational emergency eye flush stations – average fine: $933
- No effective information or training of chemicals – average fine: $497
- No written respiratory protection program – average fine: $865
- Exposure to air contaminants exceeding established exposure limits – average fine: $5,355
- Failure to provide appropriate eye and face protection – average fine: $565
Combined with no effective personal protective equipment training – average fine: $690
- No program in place to determine if employees have a reasonable exposure to bloodborne infectious diseases – average fine: $820
- Failure to provide a medical evaluation to determine an employee’s ability to use a respirator – average fine: $596
- No written exposure control plan – average fine: $173
- No hearing conservation program when noise exposures equal or exceed the action level – average fine: $1,850
In addition to the above, there are several additional violations which include:
- Lack of machine guarding
- Improper wiring methods, components and equipment
- Lack of forklift training
- No fall protection program
- Improper use of portable ladders
- Using powered staplers and nailers with no proper eye protection
- Employer not providing a safety harness when using an aerial lift
Once a fine is levied, MIOSHA will return to the employer’s site for follow-up. Failure to correct a previously cited violation will result in additional fines averaging $2,554 per violation.
BCN Services’ safety program has dedicated resources providing safety walk-throughs, written programs, online safety training and recommendations at no charge for all of the above cited violations. Our online safety programs average 15 minutes per course topic. We also provide the OSHA 10-hour General Industry courses at least once per year by certified trainers.
Look for more specific information regarding the above in the coming year through our safety blogs.
Take advantage of all these resources and experience that “ounce of prevention” in 2018 for employee safety and peace of mind. Call the Risk Management Department at BCN Services today at 734-994-4100, ext. 108 to access these programs.