Catamount Consulting

MSHA, OSHA, and Work Zone Safety Training and Management

Mine Safety Supervisors and Trainers

OSHA Civil Penalties on the rise for first time in over 25 years

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Now is the time to make sure your safety programs are comprehensive and up to date and that all employees have received the safety training necessary for work. Since 1990, OSHA has not been able to increase the civil penalties it can impose when an employer is cited for a violation. That changed on November 2, when President Obama signed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Hidden within the act are terms requiring OSHA to significantly increase civil penalties. And this isn’t just a little increase, it is more of a “catch up” adjustment, resulting in a penalty increase of approximately 80 percent. In other words, a $7,000 cap on serious violations will increase to $12,600, and the $70,000 limit on willful and repeat violations will jump to $126,000. After this “catch up” adjustment is made, OSHA will continue to adjust penalties every year based on the annual percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index. Increased penalties will take effect by August 1, 2016.

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Quote of the Day

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“Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. it means that you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.” – Unknown

THE IMPORTANCE Of PPE

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WHY WEAR PPE?
You’re a safe worker. You’re careful. You don’t make mistakes. Do you really need your PPE?
The answer is YES for 3 good reasons:

  • No matter how careful you are, the unexpected sometimes happens—or somebody else could make a mistake.
  • PPE is designed by experts to protect you against specific hazards by forming a barrier between you and the
    hazard.
  • Because it’s the law.

Make sure that your PPE does its job and always protects you by correctly identifying hazards and selecting
appropriate PPE.

Here’s what you need to know about personal protective equipment (PPE):

1. PPE provides a personal barrier between you and job hazards when those hazards cannot be eliminated by other
means.
2. Without assigned PPE you have no defense against work hazards and are at greater risk of being injured or
becoming sick.

Check for these potential hazards:
Falling objects Electrical shocks and burns
Dropping objects Slips, trips, and falls
Sharp objects Extreme temperatures
Rolling or pinching objects Light radiation
Chemical exposure Falls from heights
Excessive noise Harmful dust

Select PPE that:

Protects against identified hazards
Meets the safety standards
Provides more than minimum required protection
Protects against multiple hazards
Fits correctly (full coverage and comfort)
Has been inspected to ensure good condition
o Look for holes, tears, cracks, dents, wear, or other problems.
o Replace worn, damaged, defective PPE immediately.
When necessary is removed and disposed of safely:
o Remove PPE from the top down, wearing gloves to protect your skin.
o Grasp contaminated gloves on the inside and peel down without touching the outside.
o Place contaminated PPE in designated containers.
o Wash thoroughly after removing PPE.

“If you’re in charge and you stop rowing, don’t be surprised if the rest of your crew stops too.” unknown