This month, October 2010, OSHA released the Top 10 OSHA Violations by Contractors. There is a direct correlation between the this list and work related injury activities. OSHA’s Top 10 Violations for 2010 look a lot like 2009 and 2008.
1. Scaffolding
5. Ladders
10. Machine Guarding
It is important to keep in mind that these are not ‘employee errors’ or prompted by workers, trial lawyers, or unions. These are violations by contractors and employers who refuse to conform to OSHA Standards and repeat the same violations over and over again. Worker related injuries will continue until the cost to contractors is greater than the cost to comply with OSHA Safety Regulations. Workers’ Compensation benefits are down as are premiums so this is no incentive. Civil lawsuits, increased monetary penalties and criminal sanctions will increase contractors’ safety for workers.
Safety is the number one concern for the American Worker. What is the number one conern for the American Contractors based on these figures?
