Machine Safety: Without an injury, OSHA issues citations for more than $1 million

Whoa, OSHA issues fines for $1,013,000. following a complaint filed by a worker. OSHA investigated the manufacturer and discovered 13 Serious and 17 Willful violations of Regulations. Was this Company just waiting to be caught in violation or were these violations a result of their safety culture. You decide!

By J.B. Titus January 23, 2012

Whoa, OSHA issues fines for $1,013,000. following a complaint filed by a worker. OSHA investigated the manufacturer and discovered 13 Serious and 17 Willful violations of Regulations. Was this Company just waiting to be caught in violation or were these violations a result of their safety culture. You decide!

   The below article is one of several articles in this week’s OSHA QuickTakes newsletter. OSHA’s citations were issued on Dec. 28, 2011, and all abations are to be completed by Jan. 4 to Jan. 10, 2012. A summary of some of the citations include:

– No LOTO (lock out tag out) protection

– Defective brakes   

– Lack of guarding   

– No anti-repeat   

– Lack of PPE   

– Lack of fall protection

   From a safety culture perspective is seems that this company has been incident free. Otherwise OSHA surely would have built some of their citations around those incidents. From a safety culture perspective would you begin to think that they might be one of those companies that think – “We’re Safe – We’ve Had No Machine Safety Accidents For A Long Time”? Or are they simply caught in some of the “myths of safety cultures” that I blogged about a few weeks ago? In my opinion, I can’t believe they we’re consciously waiting to be caught in violation.

   In my opinion, you should register for receiving this newsletter from OSHA. It gives you a pulse of US industry and OSHA regarding safety behavior. The actual citations can be viewed at: www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Piping-tech-prod-312928344-1228-11.pdf

   Your comments or suggestion are always welcome so please let us know your thoughts. Submit your ideas, experiences, and challenges on this subject in the comments section below. Click on the following text if you don’t see a comments box, then scroll down: Machine Safety – without an injury, OSHA issues citations for more than $1 million  

Related articles:

We’re Safe – We’ve Had No Machine Safety Accidents For A Long Time

Machine safety and your safety culture

Updating Minds About Machine Safety

Machine Safety Culture – compliance versus cooperation driven. 

Machine Safety – the myths of safety cultures.

Contact: www.jbtitus.com for “Solutions for Machine Safety”.