The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued two press releases in the past couple of weeks. Both are summaries of COVID-19 violations and fines the agency has delivered to workplaces since the beginning of the pandemic.
Ramp-Up?
An interesting note is that the first press release, issued on October 16, covers violations from March through October 8. In those seven months the agency cited 85 facilities. The second press release issued ONE WEEK later added an additional 27 facilities. This sharp increase could indicate an escalation in agency inspections, a decrease in safety vigilance at facilities, an upsurge in whistleblower complaints, or just an expediting of the agency’s handling of the paperwork and processing of violations found.
Details
Whatever the reason for the ramp-up, the average fine per facility was $14,317, a substantial amount for some small businesses. The violations were primarily for:
- Not implementing a respiratory protection program
- Not providing safety equipment and training
- Not recording illnesses, hospitalizations, and fatalities in form 300 and 301 recordkeeping
- Not complying with the General Duty Clause of OSHA regulations
Contact Cornerstone
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https://www.cornerstone-ehs.com/contact-us/, or email Cornerstone at
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OSHA Press Releases
To read OSHA’s October 16 press release:
click here
To read OSHA’s October 23 press release:
click here