Recently, OSHA released its list of fines over $150,000 levied against companies in Q2 of 2021. Many of the penalties in question centered around the lack or improper use of fall protection, but a few large fines were also handed out for improper respiratory protection from silica dust.
These fines add up quickly, in one case costing a single contractor over $1.5 million. While there is a steep financial burden connected with these penalties, they often come at a higher price: injury and sometimes death to unprotected workers.
As mentioned earlier, many of the fines in Q2 focused on lack of proper fall protection. OSHA is particularly stringent when it comes to enforcing fall protection violations, and rightfully so. Of the 1,008 workplace fatalities reported in 2018, a staggering 320 of those deaths were caused by falls.
A safe workplace begins with proper training and continues by building a strong safety culture. NBIS offers members online safety training designed to enhance your organization’s safety standards. These courses are available anytime and can be accessed from anywhere with an NBIS login. Courses range in topic and include training such as hand and power tool safety, fall protection, trenching and shoring, crane safety, silica dust handling, and many others related to safety in construction environments.
While accidents will still sometimes happen, cultivating a strong, responsive safety culture will help prevent most of these incidents. Avoiding fines, and saving lives, comes down to your commitment to cultivating your company’s safety culture.
