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As a construction worker in New York City, you’re most
likely familiar with OSHA’s safety guidelines and recommendations. After all,
you’ve probably sat through 30 hours of training – or will need to before Local Law 196’s
deadline on December 1.

Each year, OSHA releases its list of the top 10 most
frequently violated standards based on its federal worksite inspections. Despite
hours upon hours of training, employers and workers tend to ignore or forget
even the most basic construction-site precautions.

Below is the full
list of the top 10 most common violations from the 2019 fiscal year). According
to EHS
Daily Advisor, Patrick Kapust, the deputy director of OSHA’s Directorate of
Enforcement Programs, presented the list with a brief summary of top
violations.

According to National Safety Council President and CEO
Lorraine M. Martin, OSHA’s yearly top-10 list can serve as a “challenge” for
both workers and employers to “recommit” to safety trainings. Use this list as
an annual reminder to note how you (and/or your employer) may be putting
yourselves and others at risk.

  1. Fall
    Protection – General Requirements (6,010 violations)

Ranked as the top citation for the past several years, fall
violations include any failure to provide proper protection near sides and
edges of roofs or unprotected elevated surfaces.

  • Hazard
    Communication (3,671 violations)

This violation is generally caused by employers who do not
adequately train their workers or ignore proper usage of safety data sheets.

  • Scaffolding (2,813
    violations)

Similar to fall violations, scaffolding citations are issued
when structures lack proper decking, do not have guardrails, or are not
anchored on a solid foundation.  

  • Control of
    Hazardous Energy – Lockout/Tagout (2,606 violations)

These citations occur when employers fail to establish an
energy-control procedure or do not give their employees adequate training on
how to use lockout/tagout devices or equipment.

  • Respiratory
    Protection (2,450 violations)

Common citations for these violations include employers failing
to establish a program or required testing for respiratory protection.

  • Ladders
    (2,345 violations)

Ladder citations are normally given when workers use ladders
that have structural defects, use them for unintended purposes, or fail to
include siderails that extend three feet beyond a landing surface.

  • Powered
    Industrial Trucks (2,093 violations)

These citations mostly occur when vehicles on worksites are
damaged but not removed from service. Failing to safely operate industrial
trucks or to regularly evaluate operators are also violations.

  • Fall
    Protection – Training Requirements (1,773 violations)  

Unlike the top-ranked violation of general requirements of
fall protection, these citations have to do with proper training for fall
protection. Common cases include workers not receiving general fall protection
training or employers not having the certified training documented.

  • Machine
    Guarding (1,743 violations)

Machine guarding violations occur when workers fail to guard
points of operation or disregard checking if the guards are properly attached
to machinery.

  1. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face
    Protection (1,411 violations)

Face and eye protection violations were first added to
OSHA’s top-10 list in 2018, and they remain in the number 10 spot this year.
Citations are given either when employers do not provide proper eye and face
protection for gases, vapors, and other hazards, or when employees do not
utilize the proper protection.  

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get access to Building Skills NY construction job and training opportunities by
checking out our Job
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