Recently a Wisconsin plant was fined $1.14 million by OSHA for violation of federal workplace industrial safety regulations. In order to avoid substantial fines such as this, companies should start with the basics to insure industrial plants are in compliance with OSHA regulations.
1. Know the industrial safety regulations for your plant. The OSHA website (www.osha.gov) has tips and tools available that provide information for every type of industrial safety situation.
2. Prevent. Avoiding accidents are an essential step with industrial safety basics.
- Eye protection. Is eyewear needed? Is the eyewear OSHA compliant?
- Head and face protection. Is a hard hat or face shield needed?
- Ear protection. Is this needed so that workers do not suffer from hearing loss due to the din of heavy machinery or loud noises?
- Hand protection. Can fingers be crushed, pinched, or cut? Are chemicals involved? Consider latex, leather, or welding gloves depending on the type of work performed at your plant for industrial safety.
- Body protection. Could there be chemical spills or splatter of any kind? If the equipment requires extreme heat or cold, body protection is another basic need for industrial safety.
- Air quality. Dust, chemicals, and even types of food materials can be cause for an industrial safety concern. Evaluate your plant to determine if breathing protection is needed.
- Elbow pads, kneepads, or back brace? Depending on the degree of bending, stooping, or repetitive task, consider adequate joint protection to avoid any issues like carpal tunnel or other joint injuries.
- Training. Employees should be trained regularly as a basic part of your industrial safety plan for all equipment used.
- Signs everywhere. Have materials readily accessible to every employee to make sure every measure is taken to educate workers on industrial safety basics.
3. Plan for accidents. Even the safest plants encounter accidents from time to time. Having a documented response and procedures is crucial. Develop plan and review it as part of a routine training regimen.
- First aid kits. Instruct all employees on the location of the kits. They should be OSHA compliant and cover basic needs such as band aids, eye wash, aspirin, alcohol wipes, etc.
- Body over exertion or allergic reactions. This is a very common industrial safety issue and should have procedures documented.
- Minor injuries. Cuts, scrapes, and minor falls can become a serious industrial safety issue.
- Major injuries. Does the plan cover a serious fall, heart attack, or even a violent assault?
- Chemical exposure from spills. Your industrial safety plan should cover spill containment as well as treatment for exposed workers.
- Transportation related accidents. Coordinate with your insurance company so that an appropriate response to vehicle incidents is documented and reviewed.
Using these industrial safety basic steps will go a long way in avoiding plant fines while keeping workers safe.
Image credit: The Jackman Group
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