OSHA releases top 10 violations list

Manufacturing workplaces, including plastics processing plants, changed to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic last year but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) still cited thousands of violations of federal safety standards. 

OSHA has released preliminary data for the 12 months ending Sept. 30, which includes six months during pandemic restrictions. 

The agency received 15 percent more complaints during that 12-month period but performed 50 percent fewer inspections. On-site inspections were mostly suspended and replaced with remote inspections by telephone, video conference or email.   

Overall, the 10 most frequently cited violations were:

1. Fall protection (5,424 violations);

2. Hazard communication (3,199 violations);

3. Respiratory protection (2,649 violations);

4. Scaffolding (2,538 violations);

5. Ladders (2,129 violations);

6. Lockout/tagout (2,065 violations);

7. Powered industrial trucks (1,932 violations);

8. Fall protection — training requirements (1,621 violations);

9. Personal protective and lifesaving equipment — eye and face protection (1,369 violations);

10. Machine guarding (1,313 violations). 

Among companies the federal government classifies as plastics product manufacturing in the North American Industry Classification System (Code 3261), there were 527 citations issued for fines totaling $2.3 million. The 527 violations were found during 191 inspections. Here are the Top 10 violations: 

1. Lockout/tagout (145 violations, $730,166 in fines);

2. General machine requirements (70 violations, $688,431);

3. Powered industrial trucks (36 violations, $70,598);

4. Hazard communication (33 violations, $70,072);

5. Respiratory protection (21 violations, $24,107);

6. General safety requirements (20 violations, $157,723);

7. Wiring methods, components and equipment for general use (19 violations, $37,414);

8. Mechanical power transmission apparatus (15 violations, $27,486);

9. Occupational noise exposure (13 violations, $25,707);

10. OSH Act general duty paragraph (10 violations, $43,698). 

Cost of a Top 10 violation in the Plastics Product Manufacturing category averaged more than $4,900. 

For more information on keeping your plant safe, read Plastics Machinery & Manufacturing’s recent series: 

Protecting workers means doing the fundamentals, and OSHA standards provide a basic template, but, as the pandemic has shown, risk mitigation is ever-evolving. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21207693 

OEMs and clients are growing more comfortable with remote commissioning of machines around the world. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21207371 

Officials at Design Safety Engineering and White Horse Safety evaluate machinery and plant practices and assess risks. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21207831

Signage reminds workers of safe practices and social distancing during the pandemic.  plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21207817

Consultant Dave Calderone uses his more than 50 years’ experience working in plastics processing to provide blow molders with training seminars, technical consulting services and management. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21207857 

Autonomous mobile robots are improving worker safety at plastics plants by replacing manually operated forklifts in high-traffic areas. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21207830 

Arburg and Milacron report increased interest in and use of their remote monitoring and maintenance capabilities. plasticsmachinerymanufacturing.com/21207739 

Ron Shinn, editor 

[email protected]