Tag: employee safety

OSHA Inspections and Penalties for Coronavirus-Related Violations on the Rise

Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk

Did you know that the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s health and safety standards apply to COVID-19? Since the coronavirus pandemic began, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has received approximately 12,000 complaints and conducted nearly 300 inspections related to COVID-19. These inspections have resulted in proposed penalties against employers totaling more than $3.5 million.

The most common violations cited by OSHA include failures to:

While covered employers are responsible for complying with all applicable health and safety standards, those relating to personal protective equipment (PPE), respiratory protection and sanitation may be especially relevant for preventing the workplace spread of COVID-19. Employers that are not subject to a specific OSHA standard must still comply with the OSH Act’s General Duty Clause, which requires each employer to provide a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.

OSHA’s emphasis on preventing the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace should provide more than enough motivation for employers to do the same. Employers wanting to protect their business and avoid severe OSHA penalties must do their part to protect workers from COVID-19, including the implementation of appropriate preventative measures as required by applicable law or recommended by relevant public health authorities, like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Please contact us for more information about protecting your business and your workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paying Less for Workers’ Compensation Insurance by Focusing More on Workplace Safety

Do you know the secret to getting cheaper workers’ compensation insurance? It’s maintaining a safe workplace. In addition to being required by law, providing a safe workplace is good for business. An effective workplace safety program can protect employees from harm and even save lives. It can reduce costly and disruptive injury-related employee absences and work restrictions. And, since fewer workplace injuries means lower premiums, it can also save money.

The first step to developing an effective workplace safety program is identifying the most common causes of the most serious workplace injuries. According to Liberty’s 2019 Workplace Safety Index, these are the top ten causes of disabling injuries at work.

  1. Overexertion involving outside sources (lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying, etc.)
  2. Falls on same level (slipping on the floor)
  3. Struck by object or equipment
  4. Falls to lower level (falling from ladder, platform, etc.)
  5. Other exertions or bodily reactions (crawling, bending, reaching, twisting, kneeling, walking, etc.)
  6. Roadway incidents involving motorized vehicles
  7. Slip or trip without fall (injured while resisting a fall)
  8. Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects
  9. Repetitive motions involving microtasks
  10. Struck against object or equipment (ex. walking into an open drawer or door)

It’s important to note that the most common causes of serious workplace injuries vary by industry. For example, falls to lower levels are the most common cause of injury in the construction industry. They account for $2.5 billion in losses and represent 25% of the industry’s non-fatal injury cost. In the professional and business services industry, however, falls on the same level are the leading cause of injury. They account for $1.92 billion in losses and represent 24% of the industry’s non-fatal injury cost.

Knowing how and why workplace injuries occur puts employers in a better position to develop and implement their own safety and training programs. This is important because employers have the ability to control their workers’ compensation insurance premiums, for better or worse.

Those with an effective workplace safety program pay less. Those without pay more. Please contact us to learn more about reducing your workers’ compensation insurance premiums by implementing an effective workplace safety program.