If you need OSHA Willful and Repeat Citations assistance discussed in this article call us at 973-366-4660 or email us at info@atlenv.com for details and a free estimate.
Written by Robert E. Sheriff, MS, CIH, CSP, President
November 13, 2018
OSHA issues 2018 penalties for citations.
As of January 1, 2018, a serious citation fine is $12,934.00. A willful or repeat citation is $129,366.00. A failure to abate is now $12,934.00/day.
Here’s what they’re looking for:
- Companies with injury/illness and days away rates above their industry coverages.
- Industries with high fatality rates.
- Companies previously fined for willful or serious violations.
- Industries identified by OSHA as having major health and/or safety issues or are the subject of a National Emphasis Program (2018 programs-lead, silica, combustible dust, process safety management).
OSHA is targeting process safety management sites; oil and gas field services; residential building construction; and highway, street and bridge construction. They’re also looking closely at workplaces which have the risk of fatalities from trenching collapses, falls from a height, forklift incidents, electrical problems and being struck by an object.
How can you protect your company? The easy answer is not to have any violations of the OSHA regulations, especially not a repeat violation. Willful violation citations are issued when the OSHA Inspector has reason to believe the employer intentionally disregarded an OSHA rule, or just plain didn’t care. Willful violators run the risk of going to jail.
A most important fact is that OSHA can issue a repeat citation if you have multiple locations and have not corrected the citation at all locations not just the location that received the initial citation.
Make sure you have a written Health and Safety Program that addresses the known and reasonably anticipated hazards in your workplace and is up-to-date (not more than three years old) at all company locations.
A hazard assessment which identifies all the operations, procedures, equipment, raw materials, intermediates and final products and all the hazards associated with them will not only show OSHA your good faith efforts but may uncover some hazards that are present today, of which you may not have been aware.
OSHA is clearly on the move to go after businesses that ignore the health and safety of their employees.
Atlantic Environmental’s staff is highly experienced in performing Health and Safety Hazard Audits, revising or developing safety programs, and evaluating work sites for potential violations of OSHA citations. We would be happy to discuss your needs and concerns. Call us at 973-366-4660 or e-mail info@atlenv.com.