OHSA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is about to launch a year-long National Emphasis Program (NEP) of on-site inspections at several hundred facilities to review injury and illness records from 2007 and 2008. The inspections will target low injury and illness rate establishments of 40 or more employees in historically high rate industries. Inspectors will interview those persons responsible for recordkeeping, management, employees and health care providers. Type in OHSA in search to access an OSHA Recordkeeping Handbook, Fact Sheets, and more, to make sure that your organization is always fully compliant.
Tag Archives: osha
PANDEMIC FLU – WORKPLACE GUIDANCE
In response to a possible pandemic flu outbreak, we are adding critical resources to HR Made Simple to assist and guide you and your organization. In the event of a pandemic, organizations will play a key role in protecting employees health and safety. Here is an important resource available immediately:
Workplace Guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor – How Employers Can Protect Their Employees, Steps Employers Can Take To Reduce the Risk of Exposure, and more. http://www.osha.gov/Publications/influenza_pandemic.html
As always, we will be adding key resources to HR Made Simple as they become available to keep you current on information you need to protect your employees’ health and safety. To access these resources login to your HR Made Simple account, to learn more about the services offered through HRSentry, visit our products and services page.
Avoid OSHA Fines: stay compliant
The Society for Human Resource Management reports that each year OSHA conducts 35,000 to 45,000 job site inspections. It is important to be prepared for such an inspection at all times as well as update policies and procedures regularly.
Who is Covered:
In general, the Act covers all employers and their employees in the 50 states, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories. Coverage is provided either directly
by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or by an
OSHA-approved state job safety and health plan. Employees of the U.S. Postal Service
also are covered.
The Act defines an employer as any “person engaged in a business affecting commerce
who has employees, but does not include the United States or any state or political
subdivision of a State.” Therefore, the Act applies to employers and employees in such
varied fields as manufacturing, construction, longshoring, agriculture, law and medicine,
charity and disaster relief, organized labor and private education.
The Act does not cover:
- Self-employed persons;
- Farms which employ only immediate members of the farmer’s family;
- Industries in which other federal agencies, operating under the authority of other federal laws, regulate working conditions. This category includes most working conditions in mining, nuclear energy and nuclear weapons manufacture, and many aspects of the transportation industries;
- Employees of state and local governments, unless they are in one of the states with OSHA-approved safety and health plans.
During OSHA inspections all employees are subject to review, as such it is necessary to instruct everyone on the required policies and procedures. Providing written instructions in easily accessible places is also important. More information on OSHA requirements can be found at the Department of Labor website. To access more information on these and other HR related issues, join HRSentry.
Workplace Incident Report
Every year the United States Department of Labor releases a report on workplace safety that includes injury and illness rates. Knowing what your industries injury rate is and what tools can be used to reduce your risk can save thousands of unnecessary dollars in fines and lawsuits.
Industry 2006 annual average employment(in thousands)/Incidence Rate2005/2006
Nonclay refractory manufacturing 6.3 / – / 16.9
Motor home manufacturing 21.1 / – / 16.8
Iron foundries 58.4/ 17.1 / 15.1
Light truck and utility vehicle manufacturing 69.3 / 17.8 / 14.6
Prefabricated wood building manufacturing 27.2 / 14.3 / 14.3
Truck trailer manufacturing 38.5 / 16.8 / 13.9
Manufactured home (mobile home) manufacturing 49.1 / 12.9 / 13.2
Skiing facilities 34.0 / – / 13.2
Travel trailer and camper manufacturing 48.7 / 14.1 / 13.1
Sports teams and clubs 63.2 / – / 12.8
Animal (except poultry) slaughtering 146.3 / 12.6 / 12.5
Steel foundries (except investment) 20.9 / 10.7 / 12.1
Aluminum foundries (except die-casting) 22.5 / 13.3 / 12.1
Metal tank (heavy gauge) manufacturing 27.1 / – / 11.9
Motor vehicle body manufacturing 66.9 / 8.3 / 11.8
Beet sugar manufacturing 6.1 / 18.3 / 11.7
Amusement and theme parks 137.0 / – / 11.7
Couriers 528.0 / 12.4 / 11.0
Ambulance services 127.3 / – 11.0
Iron and steel forging 27.0 / 13.3 / 10.9
Heavy duty truck manufacturing 37.6 / 13.1 / 10.9
Scheduled passenger air transportation 426.8 / – / 10.8
Ship building and repairing 91.7 / 10.9 / 10.7
Soft drink manufacturing 79.7 10.4 10.6
Household furniture (except wood/metal) manufacturing 6.5 / – / 10.6
Private industry 111,273.1 / 4.6 / 4.4
Visit the Department of Labor homepage to see more stats on workplace incidents reports. For more information on risk management solutions, visit the HRSentry Homepage.