Have you noticed that OSHA enforcement, citations and fines for fall protection is on steroids? One search on the OSHA Data and Statistics web page and you will see hundreds of contracting companies audited this year. 

Contractors all over Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut are getting cited and fined for fall protection violations. Inspections are way up over last year. Speaking with an inspector from OSHA, this is currently and will be the major focus for OSHA inspectors going forward. Waiting for someone to get hurt, to file a complaint against you or being referred by another agency leads to untimely citations and fines. 

If you are reading this and thinking that it won't happen to you we suggest you think again.

In our last 8 Fall Protection trainings more than half of the contractors were getting their training because their job site was audited by OSHA. Then they were cited and fined!

I was hired by some of these contractors to help them negotiate a fine settlement. The settlement included doing fall protection training and writing their safety program, which none of them had in place. 

The number one way the contractors' sites were chosen was a COMPLAINT! That means someone picked up the phone and called it in to the local OSHA office. The second most common medium was a referral. Referrals come from other government agencies, fireman, EMT's and police. When someone gets hurt and they go to the hospital one of the emergency responders will call OSHA.

Instead of waiting for someone to get hurt or killed or for someone to report your unsafe job site does it make sense to prevent the possibility in the first place?

I am not certain why so many contractors wait until the last and worst moment to responsibly take care of safety for their employees. Some say it is the cost while others say it is rebellion against government. Whatever the case the reported injuries and deaths in residential construction continue to mount. I know of three injuries on Mass job sites in the past two weeks. As long as they mount OSHA, will commit most of its enforcement resources towards residential contractors and fall protection violations.

With the fall season ending this is a good time to be proactive and get on board with your fall protection training and program.

Here are a few trainings coming up....these Material Suppliers are doing thier part by hosting the trainings and trying to reach as many contractors as possible with the hopes that injuries, deaths, citations and fines are averted.

11/19/2014 Harvey Building Products in Waltham, Ma

11/20/2014 National Lumber in Mansfield, Ma. 

Private Training can be arraged by contacting Mark directly at 508-847-0162 or using the contact us page.