Tag Archives: osha

Inadequate Machine Guarding Leads to Fatality

Inadequate machine guarding leads to fatality

CANTON, OH– TimkenSteel, a steel manufacturer, was cited with inadequate machine guarding following a fatality of an employee in Canton, OH. The failure to install guards or provide proper hand tools to employees, led to entanglement hazards while operating a bar straightener machine.

Founded in 1917 as the steel business of The Timken Roller Bearing Company, the parent company to TimkenSteel, is a leading producer of carbon steel, alloy and micro-alloy steel in specialty bars, mechanical tubing, and other products used in the automotive, industrial, and energy markets. The company employs 1,800 workers.

Violations and Citations

During the investigation, OSHA determined the worker was operating the machine when he was entangled on a piece of steel bar stock that was rotating at high speeds. The entanglement of the employee with the steel bar stock ultimately led to fatal injuries. Upon further investigation, inspectors found the safety equipment provided to employees to manipulate the steel on the machines was not in compliance with the machine requirements. And because proper equipment and safety procedures were not in place, the employee’s limbs became exposed to the danger zones of the steel rotating machine.

OSHA cited the steel manufacturer with two willful and two serious citations, which resulted in over $315K in penalties. The serious violations were cited due to lack of guarding on horizontal drive shafts and knuckles, and walking-working surfaces that exposed workers to slip and fall hazards from oil coolant leaks and spills.

“A worker’s life might have been spared if Timken Steel safeguarded dangerous machinery as required by law,” said OSHA Area Director Howard Eberts in Cleveland. “This company identified the safety issue that exposed workers using this machine to serious hazards but failed to make it safe.”

Key Takeaways

OSHA sources state that workers who operate and maintain machinery suffer approximately 18,000 amputations, lacerations, crushing injuries, abrasions, and over 800 deaths per year.

Until there are no more workplace fatalities, it is critical companies remain vigilant with their safety procedures. If machine guarding procedures were in place, this workplace fatality could have been prevented. Martin Technical offers machine guarding safety training and program development along with other pertinent safety trainings to ensure the highest level of workplace safety.  Find out how Martin Technical can ensure every employee makes it home safely at the end of the day.

Read from the original source here: https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/region5/06222022

Resources:

https://martechnical.com/mechanical-machine/

https://martechnical.com/training-and-seminars/

https://martechnical.com/safety-and-osha-training/

https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs

https://www.osha.gov/machine-guarding

 

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Industrial Accident Machine Safety OSHA Violations Training Workplace Safety Comments are closed

June is National Safety Month

The month of June is National Safety Month, an event focused on bringing awareness to safety concerns in the workplace. Martin Technical, a member of the National Safety Council, wants to recognize National Safety Month and its significance. With such a high fatality rate in 2020 in the United States, with 4,764 fatal work injuries recorded (a 10.7% decrease from 5,333 in 2019), it is important to draw attention to this national topic. While this number is decreasing, National Safety Month is an event tailored around the continuation of the fatal work injury rate.

Top OSHA Safety Concerns

The list of top 10 most frequently cited standards following inspections of worksites by federal OSHA for all industries is released publicly every year to attract attention to safety concerns in the workplace that are often overlooked. With better knowledge and understanding of safety hazards that are often missed, companies can better prepare their workplace.

  1. Fall Protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) [related safety resources]
  2. Respiratory Protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134) [related safety resources]
  3. Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053) [related safety resources]
  4. Hazard Communication, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200) [related safety resources]
  5. Scaffolding, construction (29 CFR 1926.451) [related safety resources]
  6. Fall Protection Training, construction (29 CFR 1926.503) [related safety resources]
  7. Control of Hazardous Energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147) [related safety resources]
  8. Eye and Face Protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.102) [related safety resources]
  9. Powered Industrial Trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178) [related safety resources]
  10. Machinery and Machine Guarding, general industry (29 CFR 1910.212) [related safety resources]

Additional to their top safety citations OSHA has also released information on their “Fatal Four” leading causes of fatalities in the workplace.

  1. Falls- 36% of workplace fatalities
  2. Struck by Objects- 10% of workplace fatalities
  3. Electrocutions- 9% of workplace fatalities
  4. Caught in Between- 2% of workplace fatalities

How can you address Safety Concerns?

With proper safety training in place the risk of workplace fatalities decreases. All industries should focus on building and maintaining robust training programs for fall protection, lockout tagout, machine guarding, and arc flash, which help to provide education on the fatal four in the workplace. Martin Technical, a leading safety solutions company providing services and implementation solutions, has in-house subject matter experts whose mission is to help companies build their own customized and efficient training programs. Working with industry experts can boost your safety program, build or strengthen safety cultures, and combat the fatal four workplace concerns.

The Importance of National Safety Month

National Safety Month is a national movement with the goal of bringing awareness to safety in the workplace, ensuring every individual makes it home safe after each day, to enjoy the best part of their day. Join the cause and continue to help spread awareness today.

Resources  

Martin Technical Inc.

Martin Technical Safety Trainings

National Safety Council

OSHA Top Ten Citations

OSHA Safety Regulations

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Electrical Safety & Arc Flash Fall Safety Machine Safety Training Workplace Safety Comments are closed

Absence of Fall protection Results in an OSHA Investigation

Fall protection and prevention training

Philadelphia, PA– The absence of fall protection resulted in an OSHA investigation for a construction contractor in Philadelphia, PA. The construction contractor underwent six OSHA investigations, between October 2021- December 2022, at their five separate locations. These investigations are a part of OSHA’s local emphasis program for fall hazards.

According to OSHA resources, “Falls from elevation are a leading cause of death for construction employees. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports falls accounted for 351 of the 1,008 construction fatalities recorded in 2020…”

Violations and Citations:

The inspections of the construction company led to violations on all five of their construction sites. It was disclosed that the company did not provide fall protection on any site. Additionally, the employees were also exposed to damaged or unsafe equipment, such as damaged ladders, electrical hazards, and no personal protective equipment (PPE).

The investigation concluded with the construction company being cited with seven willful violations and eleven safety violations. These citations led to $790K in penalties.

“OSHA inspectors found All Best Contractor Corp.’s foreman on site, and yet he allowed employees to work while knowing that they lacked fall and other safety protections. Such blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of the company’s workers shows a willful recklessness,” said OSHA Area Director Paula Dixon-Roderick in Marlton, New Jersey. “The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration will make every effort to hold employers accountable when they put workers at increased risk of serious injuries or worse.”

Key Takeaways

Safety should be a priority for all companies and lives of employees should never be put at risk. With the right fall prevention and protection measures in place, companies in any industry can ensure they will not face the same penalties and can make certain they are putting the lives of their employees first. Working with outsourced safety experts such as Martin Technical can help ensure your company has the necessary fall protection procedures in place.

Read from the original source: https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/brief/05022022

Resources:

https://martechnical.com/fall-protection-training/

https://martechnical.com/safety-and-osha-training/

https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/enforcement/directives/2019-01.pdf

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Fall Safety OSHA Violations Training Workplace Safety Comments are closed

Martin Technical Welcomes Wayne Branom as the Regional Manager of the Central/Northeast Region

Louisville, CO – June 3, 2022

Martin Technical would like to welcome Wayne Branom to the sales team as our Regional Manager for the Great Lakes & Northeast Region. Wayne has spent over 35 years in the safety vertical, with Orr Safety/NSI as a Senior Account Manager for the Central Region. He resides in Aurora, Illinois with his family.

“Wayne is a well-respected performer and subject matter expert in industrial safety and will provide a level of expertise we are blessed to have on our team.” states Gil Truesdale CRO of Martin Technical.

Wayne will manage the Great Lakes and Northeast Region’s driving opportunities for electrical safety, lockout tagout, safety compliance training, and safety management software solutions through Safety Hive.

To contact Wayne Branom, please email WayneB@MarTechnical.com or call +1 (630) 991-0170.

About Martin Technical / Safety Hive

Martin Technical is a leading safety solutions company providing services and implementation solutions for Lockout Tagout, Electrical Safety, Electrical Engineering, Audits & Inspections, Training, OSHA Services, and consulting. Safety Hive, a safety software and technology provider, digitizes and automates safety to predict and prevent workplace safety incidents by empowering the workforce through technology.

To learn more, please visit www.MarTechnical.com, www.SafetyHive.com,  call 866-234-6890, or email info@MarTechnical.com.

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Electrical Safety & Arc Flash Machine Safety Training Workplace Safety Comments are closed

Martin Technical Inspires Pulp & Paper Safety Association with Digital Solutions

Martin Technical Inspires Pulp & Paper Safety Association with Digital Solutions

BROOMFIELD, CO – May 31,2022

Martin Technical, Inc., a leading subject matter expert in providing industrial plants and facilities with simplified safety solutions and consulting services, will participate as a member exhibitor at the 2022 PPSA conference in Ponte Vedra, FL June 12-15th.  Martin Technical located, in Broomfield, Colorado, will showcase the highly sought-after digital workplace safety solutions with software provider Safety Hive, to empower facility management professionals, and their employees, to stay at the forefront of an evolving and challenging world using technology.

As the workforce becomes increasingly distributed and mobile, Safety Hive equips workers with quick access to workplace safety services, educates them on their tasks, and reduces errors, incidents, inspection and audit times, and overall facility downtime. Martin Technical subject matter experts along with Safety Hive’s software solutions will now be able to offer their clients a full circle, turnkey solution all under one roof enhancing their mission of making the complex simple. This will enable facilities to improve their safety culture, operational efficiency, facility management forecasting, and help motivate workers to make their workplace safer and more productive.

“Innovation is at the core of the success of Martin Technical and Safety Hive and has been the driving force for our successes over the past 20 years. Consistently pushing the limits of what we do, how we do it and what we can do to help support our customers in their day-to-day world to keep workers safe and institutions in compliance. Safety Hive is the next big thing from Martin Technical and it is set to “change the game” on how data, compliance, process, procedure and most importantly, worker safety, come together in a single platform. This will become the Standard for Safety Management Systems in the US and around the world.” says Chief Operating Officer, Donny Snyder.

Martin Technical and Safety Hive will be located at booth #40 and is inviting all workplace safety professionals to stop by and learn more about the most innovative services in the industry.

Register at: https://ppsaconference.org/

About Martin Technical

Martin Technical is a leading provider of practical safety and efficiency services that make industrial plants and facilities better, safer, and more efficient. Our experts can help simplify the complex by applying real-world solutions for lockout tagout, arc flash, electrical safety, risk assessments, OSHA services, training, machine safety, and safety consulting.

About Safety Hive

Safety Hive is a Safety Technology Solution and Software Provider that digitizes and automates safety to predict and prevent workplace safety incidents through technology and data.

To learn more, please visit https://martechnical.com/, https://safetyhive.com/, call +1 866-234-6890, or email Sales@MarTechnical.com.

To request Press Kits, please email Marketing@MarTechnical.com.

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Confined Space Electrical Safety & Arc Flash Lockout Tagout & Hazardous Energy Machine Safety Workplace Safety Comments are closed

Steps to Safety: OSHA Compliance

St. Louis, MI– Steel manufacturer St. Louis Cold Drawn LLC, has taken steps to creating a safer work environment with an initiative they started in 2016, in conjunction with Missouri OSHA, to develop improved safety awareness programs and to prevent on the job injuries. With nearly 4% of all cold steel workers suffering recordable injuries each year, this steel company strives to make a change.  

The Initiative  

The initiative is broken down into three separate aspects, all to improve workplace safety. 

  • A revised program to address hazards
  • A revised program to ensure routine training 
  • Preventative measures to keep workers safe 

The initiative started with 14 different safety and health visits, where consultants identify hazards, dangers, and violations. The consultants then worked with the company to implement new safety measures. Specific improvements that were made include: 

  • Machine guarding 
  • Adjusted warehouse layout  
  • Safety training 
  • Improved communication strategies  

“The Missouri On-Site Consultation Program helped St. Louis Cold Drawn understand that OSHA works cooperatively with businesses who voluntarily implement programs to ensure the workers’ safety and health,” said U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Acting Regional Administrator Steven J. Kaplan in Kansas City, Missouri. “St. Louis Cold Drawn made major improvements to its safety programs and did so with worker input. These efforts increased the ownership and involvement in safety at all levels of the company’s organization and significantly enhanced its safety culture.” 

The Results  

The company earned OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, also known as SHARP status, in September 2020 and will seek renewal in 2022. SHARP acknowledges small and medium-sized businesses that have used OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Services and operate exemplary workplace safety and health programs. 

OSHA standards can be difficult to meet without the right knowledge and guidance. Partnering with industry experts such as Martin Technical can help you take the right steps to improving your workplace safety and culture by providing proper consultation and services. Offering a range of services from safety training, lockout tagout, electrical safety, to arc flash, Martin Technical can help you maintain OSHA compliance and build your safety culture.  

Read more from the original source 

Additional Resources   

Safety Training 

Lockout Tagout Program & Compliance 

Arc Flash Programs 

OSHA Laws and Regulations 

OSHA SHARP Program  

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Electrical Safety & Arc Flash Lockout Tagout & Hazardous Energy OSHA Violations Training Workplace Safety Comments are closed

Failure to Lockout leads to Fatality

Oklahoma City, OK– A large construction company, T.J. Campbell Construction Co., was cited with $370K in penalties after failing to prevent a conveyor system from being turned on. Failure to comply with lockout tagout requirements led to the fatality of an 18-year-old employee. The young employee was attempting to clear debris from the conveyor, when the machine was turned on and the employee was pulled into hot asphalt.

Based in Edmond, T.J. Campbell Construction, is a subsidiary of DUIT Holdings Inc. The company was founded in 1978 and is considered a premier asphalt and concrete paving contractor. Their specialty includes the turn-key construction of DOT Heavy Highway, street, and site infrastructure for commercial developments as well as complete construction and reconstruction services, from city streets to Interstate Highways.

Violations and Citations

After investigation, it was determined that T.J. Campbell Construction Co. did not lockout the conveyor system, which led to the fatality. In addition to not following proper lockout tagout procedures, the company did not have a lockout tagout policy in place and had not trained employees adequately on requirements for controlling hazardous energy.

Other violations found:

  • Permitting unguarded pulleys, and chain and sprockets on walking and working surfaces
  • Failure to apply lockout tagout on machinery
  • Safety violations due to missing handrails
  • Safety violations due to uncovered open holes on walking surfaces

“A young worker was barely three months on the job when his life was tragically cut short,” said OSHA Area Director Steven Kirby in Oklahoma City. “Had TJ Campbell Construction Company provided their workers with the required training on controlling hazardous energy and ensuring proper shutdown before any attempt to remove debris was made, this young man would have ended his workday safely.”

Key Takeaways

In brief, companies in any industry that do not emphasize the importance of safety and OSHA training, risk facing the same consequences as T.J. Campbell Construction Co. where the failure to lockout led to a fatality. Proper lockout tagout training and annual lockout tagout evaluations are required and necessary for reducing workplace accidents, fatalities, and avoiding fines and penalties.

Read more from the original source.

Resources and Helpful Information on Lockout Tagout

Martin Technical Lockout Tagout Programs 

OSHA General requirements for controlling hazardous energy

OSHA lockout fact sheet 

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Lockout Tagout & Hazardous Energy OSHA Violations Workplace Safety Comments are closed

Proposed Rule on Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Regulation

Proposed Rule on Injury, Illness Recordkeeping Regulation

 

WASHINGTON – On March 30th, OSHA published a proposed rule to its occupational injury and illness recordkeeping regulation. The proposed amendment targets to improve the tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses recordkeeping regulation, 29 CFR 1904.41.

The Proposed Rule

The proposed rule requires certain employers to submit injury and illness information to OSHA electronically and report the Annual Summary. Ultimately, the agency uses these reports to identify and respond to emerging hazards and makes aspects of the information publicly available.

In summary, the proposed rule would:

  • Require establishments with 100 or more employees in specific high-hazard industries to electronically submit information from their OSHA Forms 300, 301, and 300A to OSHA once a year.
  • Update the classification system used to determine the list of industries covered by the electronic submission requirement.
  • Remove the current requirement for establishments with 250 or more employees not in a designated industry to electronically submit Form 300A to OSHA annually.
  • LAstly, require establishments to include their company name when making electronic submissions to OSHA.

In the meantime, establishments with 20 or more employees in specific high-hazard industries would continue to submit Annual Summary via Form 300A to OSHA electronically.

The Benefits of the Amendments

After all, the proposed rule would support OSHA’s mission to protect workers, mitigate workplace hazards, and empower workers by increasing transparency in the workforce.

Additionally, OSHA believes that the electronic submission of establishment-specific and case-specific information will improve workplace safety and health by:

  • Allowing OSHA to effectively identify workplaces where workers are at most significant risk from specific hazards. Thus, enabling the agency to target its compliance assistance and enforcement efforts accordingly.
  • Improving the visibility of employers to compare their injury and illness data on hazards within the same industry.
  • Enhancing the ability of stakeholders to make more informed decisions using recent establishment-specific, case-specific, and injury/illness information.
  • Lastly, advancing the research related to occupational safety and health.
Comments Due Date and Submission Details

The public can submit comments online using Docket No. OSHA-2021-0006 on the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Refer to the Federal Register notice for more details, and the due date for comments submission is May 30th, 2022. All submissions must include the agency’s name and the docket number for this rulemaking (Docket No. OSHA-2021-0006). OSHA also cautions commenters about submitting private information that will be made available to the public online at https://www.regulations.gov without modification.

Key Takeaways

In summary, organizations are highly encouraged to have robust and comprehensive health and safety programs. These include scheduling routine safety training and inspections to prevent accidents and avoid fines, ensuring the highest level of workplace safety and motivation.

Read more from the original source.

Other Useful Resources
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Workplace Safety Comments are closed

Holter Dam Receives VPP “Star” Designation

Holter Dam – a VPP Star by OSHA

WOLF CREEK, MT – The U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA has certified NorthWestern Energy’s Holter Hydroelectric Plant in Wolf Creek as a “Star” under the VPP. This is the highest level of recognition for workplace safety and health excellence under the agency’s Voluntary Protection Program. OSHA has approved Holter Hydroelectric Plant as a VPP program participant since June 2008. In total, NorthWestern Energy has four sites participating in VPP nationwide.

The Recognitions

OSHA announced the recognition as part of Holter Hydroelectric’s recertification in the VPP program, which is now in its 40th year. The “Star” designation recognizes employers and employees who demonstrate exemplary achievement in the prevention and control of workplace safety and health hazards, as well as the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of their safety and health management systems.

“NorthWestern Energy continues to exhibit a significant commitment to employee safety and health performance,” said OSHA Regional Administrator Jennifer Rous. She quoted this as a great example of safety accomplishments with the teamwork of OSHA, employers, employees, and their union.

The Safety Culture and Good Practices

OSHA praised Holter Dam’s proactive approaches to safety and health, including daily meetings on potential workplace hazards and safety controls.

Other good practices are regular community outreach by employees supporting their emergency preparedness plans. The outreach includes annual tabletop and rotating mock drills at Holter and neighboring dams. It brings together emergency responders, state road and bridge authorities, news media, the National Weather Service, and other stakeholders.

“We conduct annual outreach to 100 people ensuring the readiness in the event of a major worker or public safety threatening issues. Regular exercise programs are conducted with partners, the nearby dams, responders, and major players,” said NorthWestern Energy Operations and Maintenance Superintendent Jeremy Butcher.

In addition, employees at Holter Dam are regularly trained and equipped to perform lifesaving first aid. Last but not least, the company also ensures law enforcement, fire departments, and contractors are familiar with the access points to expedite emergency responses.

In summary, having a positive safety culture within an organization promotes more than safety. It is vital for a successful and effective health and safety program. According to OSHA, developing a strong safety culture has a significant impact on accident reduction of any process. Learn more about building and maintaining a positive safety culture and formulating robust safety training solutions with industry subject matter experts.

OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)

The VPP recognizes employers and workers in the private industry and federal agencies implementing effective safety and health management systems. In addition to maintaining injury and illness rates below national Bureau of Labor Statistics averages for their respective industries. In VPP, management, labor, and OSHA work cooperatively and proactively to prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. These are achieved through a system focused on hazard prevention and control, worksite analysis, training, management commitment, and worker involvement.

Employers must apply to participate in VPP and undergo a rigorous onsite evaluation by a professional safety and health team. Learn more about VPP, the qualifications for application, and the policies and procedures manual.

Learn more from the original source.

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Workplace Safety Comments are closed

Design Standard Update on Powered Industrial Trucks

Powered Industrial Trucks Design Standard Update

WASHINGTON – On February 15, the Department of Labor announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by OSHA to improve worker safety and health. This ensures that the agency’s general industry and construction industry rules reflect current industry practice and state-of-the-art technology. OSHA proposes updating the design and manufacturing requirements of the powered industrial trucks standards for general industry and construction.

The Proposed Update

The proposal would update design and construction requirements for industrial trucks powered by an electric motor or internal combustion engine. This includes fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks.

The proposed updates would add references to the latest design and construction requirements published by the American National Standards Institute. And the references are also in conjunction with the Industrial Truck Standards Development Foundation.

Since OSHA adopted the 1969 version of the ANSI B56.1, ANSI has revised its consensus standard twelve times between 1975 to 2020.  The three B56 volumes cover all powered industrial trucks that are currently within the scope of OSHA’s standards (§§ 1910.178(a)(1) and 926.602(c)(1)(vi)). They encompass all equipment initially covered by the consensus standard cited in OSHA’s existing standards (ANSI B56.1-1969). OSHA is not aware of any other consensus standards covering powered industrial trucks in its scope. But the agency requests comments on whether any other such standards exist and should be referenced by OSHA.

In addition to updating the design and construction requirements for future manufactured powered industrial trucks, it will also address equipment manufactured before the final rule’s effective date.

This proposed update is part of OSHA’s regulatory projects to update nearly 200 agency standards. The updates will be helpful to reflect the current versions of international consensus and national industry standards.

Comments Due Date and Submission

The deadline for submitting comments is May 17, 2022. Submit comments online, identified by Docket No. OSHA-2020-0008 at the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Read the Federal Register notice for submission instructions.

Key Takeaways

Violations of the powered industrial trucks are consistently on the OSHA Top Ten Most Frequently Cited Safety and Health Violations. Several thousand injuries related to forklifts occur in U.S. workplaces every year. Read more on the safety and compliance requirements for forklifts.  Martin Technical encourages organizations to develop a robust workplace safety strategy by scheduling regular forklift training. The Forklift Train-The-Trainer and Operator Training Course are designed to aid general industry and construction workers in the safe operation of forklifts. This step-by-step approach proves helpful for workers to be knowledgeable of OSHA and manufacturers’ safety requirements for the use of forklifts.

Learn more from the original source.

Other Useful Resources

OSHA Safe Forklifts Operation Quick Card 

Sample Daily Checklists for a variety of Powered Industrial Trucks 

Sample Daily Checklists for Powered Industrial Trucks

Maintenance and Operation Compliance Tips for Employer

 

 

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