Beware: These OSHA Regulations Are Commonly Overlooked in Manufacturing Facilities

When it comes to OSHA regulations, there’s a lot of them. It’s therefore no surprise that some fly under the radar for many manufacturing employers. The problem is that they’re on the list for OSHA inspectors to check if they audit your site, leading to a citation and even a fine, especially if it’s a repeat violation.

To help ensure that doesn’t happen at your workplace, here are some of the most common ones that are overlooked:

Lack of fall protection.

Falls are one of the leading causes of accidents and injuries on the job and can be common in manufacturing facilities. Workers can slip off ladders or even take a tumble into equipment. If any of your employees are working at a height that’s more than six feet, you therefore must provide fall protection systems, like safety harnesses, nets or guard rails.

Not following lockout / tagout rules.

Another situation where employees get easily injured is when a piece of equipment they’re fixing or servicing gets turned on by accident. This can lead to serious injuries and even death, which is why OSHA has stringent lockout / tagout standards to prevent machines from operating.

Having a messy workplace.

Clutter doesn’t just look bad, it can actually be dangerous for your employees. For instance, fire exits can be blocks and spills in aisles can cause workers to trip and fall. Likewise, products in a manufacturing facility can be stacked too high, so that if there is a fire, the sprinkler system doesn’t operate properly.

Not adhering to the Hazard Communication Standard.

The purpose of this standard is to ensure employees aren’t injured by exposure to chemicals. It therefore requires that workers are educated and trained on properly handling chemicals and maintaining a data sheet about which harmful substances are used in the workplace. All materials must also be properly labeled and stored, with employees wearing the appropriate protective equipment when handling them.

Using equipment too quickly.

Another area where workers can often be injured includes when operating equipment, such as forklifts, lift trucks and other mobile equipment. They may be under pressure to finish a job or complete an order and therefore move too quickly. This is when injuries and accidents can occur, with machinery even overturning at times. That’s why it’s critical to ensure that all workers who operate powered industrial trucks are trained and certified to do so.

Another area that can cause an issue with employee safety is a lack of manpower. When you don’t have enough hands on deck, workers are stretched thin and might be cutting corners to get the job done. Don’t let this happen. Instead, call one of the area’s leading temporary hiring agencies – Future Force – for the staffing solutions you need.

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