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OSHA 2017 Top 10 Violations List brings focus to worker safety

On Behalf of | Dec 4, 2017 | Workers' Compensation

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s annual Top 10 Violations List has been released for the fiscal year 2017, and workers in Ohio and other states may want to know more. Largely unchanged from the previous year, the list includes the addition of citations regarding fall protection training violations. For the sixth time in as many years, violations under fall protection-general requirements topped the list.

In 2017, more than 6,000 citations in this category were issued between Oct. 1, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2017. During the same time period, OSHA says that 1,523 citations were handed out for fall protection equipment maintenance and use and the failure to train workers about fall and equipment hazards. According to one bulk transportation and logistics industry website, these citations may suggest employer difficulty in meeting new compliance obligations. The compliance deadline for OSHA’s Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection regulation was May 17, 2017.

The Top 10 Violations List for 2017 sheds light on other common workplace violations with citations for hazards communications, respiratory protection, scaffolding and lockout/tagout requirements placing among the top five issues. Looking ahead to 2018 and beyond, additional provisions under the Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection regulation concerning ladders, fall protection and walking-working surfaces could potentially impact future OSHA lists.

OSHA’s Top 10 Violations List serves as a blueprint for worker safety, but violations continue to occur every year. Employees in Ohio that have suffered a loss as the result of a fall protection violation at work may be entitled to workers’ compensation in some situations. An attorney that is experienced with pursuing workplace injury claims may be able to help someone navigate the claims process. A lawyer also could help people who are receiving permanent total disability benefits to convert periodic distributions into a single payment.

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