The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced its preliminary Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2014. Unfortunately, the top 10 for 2014 was the same as 2013. This demonstrates that employers continue to not do enough to protect their employees.
OSHA TOP VIOLATIONS
The top 10 preliminary OSHA violations for 2014 are:
- Fall Protection (29 CFR 1926.501) – 6,143
- Hazard Communication (29 CFR 1910.1200) – 5,161
- Scaffolding (29 CFR 1926.451) – 4,029
- Respiratory Protection (29 CFR 1910.134) – 3,223
- Lockout/Tagout (29 CFR 1910.147) – 2,704
- Powered Industrial Trucks (29 CFR 1910.178) – 2,662
- Electrical – Wiring Methods (29 CFR 1910.305) – 2,490
- Ladders (29 CFR 1926.1053) – 2,448
- Machine Guarding (29 CFR 1910.212) – 2,200
- Electrical – General Requirements (29 CFR 1910.303) – 2,056
The reference to “CFR,” which stands for the Code of Federal Regulations, refers to OSHA standards. For example, 29 CFR 1926.501 relates to requirements for employers to provide fall protection systems. The second number provided is the number of OSHA citations given for each violation.
These are preliminary numbers and rankings as of August 11, 2014. OSHA’s final report of the 2014’s Top 10 violations will be published in December.
There are a total of 33,116 violations. At least so far, violations that could involve falls, Fall Protection, Scaffolding and Ladders, total 12,620, which account for over one-third of the total violations.
For fiscal year 2013, which runs from October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013, OSHA’s top 10 violations were:
- Fall Protection
- Hazard Communication
- Scaffolding
- Respiratory Protection
- Electrical – Wiring Methods
- Powered Industrial Trucks
- Ladders
- Lockout/Tagout
- Electrical – General Requirements
- Machine Guarding
Both 2013 and 2014 have all of the same workplace safety violations. The top 4 remain the same while some of the other violation’s rankings changed.
Sources:
- National Safety Council: OSHA’s Top 10 Violations for 2014 announced at National Safety Council Congress & Expo
- United States Department of Labor > Occupational Safety & Health Administration: Most Frequently Cited Standards (page as of September 24, 2014)
Hopefully, employers will examine these rankings and increase worker safety especially in these top 10 areas. Worker safety should be the paramount concern for employers.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND OTHER CLAIMS
In Nebraska, workers injured on the job are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits except in a couple of circumstances. The benefits injured workers can receive, depending on the injury, include:
- Payment of medical bills
- Payment or reimbursement for prescription medication
- Mileage reimbursement to and from medical appointments
- Temporary Total Disability (“TTD”) benefits
- Permanent Partial Disability (“PPD”) benefits
- Permanent Total Disability (“PTD”) benefits
- Vocational Rehabilitation
In addition, there are certain types of work injuries in which an injured worker may have a claim against a person or entity other than their employer. These are often called “third-party claims.” For these types of claims, an injured worker is entitled to more than just those benefits offered under workers’ compensation, including money for pain and suffering.
If you have been injured on the job in Nebraska, contact Lapin Law Offices to learn about your rights and what we might be able to do for you. We offer a free consultation and do not collect a fee unless we get money for you.
Lapin Law Offices: Workers’ Compensation
