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Accidents happen, but in a workplace, the fewer accidents, the better. OSHA regulations establish health and safety procedures to optimize working conditions. It enforces protocols that mitigate accidents, hazards, and various other harms. Violating one or more of OSHA's safety standards comes with consequences, ranging from payment penalties to potentially serious injuries. Here are five of the most frequent OSHA violations and how to avoid them.
Hazard Communication
OSHA's hazard communication regulations invoke workplaces to label and use labeled hazardous items. Proper labeling communicates to users the dangers of the product and ideal handling practices. Veterinary offices encounter numerous hazardous materials, from blood samples to medicinal formulas. Ensuring communication protocols are in place maximizes the safety of workers and animal patients, minimizing accidents, spills, and other emergencies.
Proper PPE
Personal protective equipment (PPE) comes in numerous forms. They range from safety goggles and gloves to aprons and closed-toed shoes. Many OSHA violations occur from cited improper PPE or uniforms. Wearing adequate protective gear provides you with armor against many potential threats. They defend against spills, sharp equipment, and pathogens, which is especially important in the veterinary field. Enforcing a work uniform or dress code that meets OSHA's PPE standards ensures you remain in compliance and properly protect employees.
Respiratory Protection
Respiratory protection is another form of PPE that appears on multiple violation reports. According to OSHA standards, workers must wear respiratory protection when working with fumes, vapors, and airborne diseases. Breathing in toxic and hazardous chemicals or germs affects your health and internal systems. A mask blocks any airborne threats from being breathed in, keeping you safe and healthy through a day of work.
Fall Protection
The number one reported violation across various industries is fall protection. From falling off tall heights to tripping over cracks, falling hazards increase the risks of physical injuries. The severity of falling ranges from bruises and scratches to dislocating bones and spilling hazardous materials while falling. In some cases, improper falling protection led to death. Fixing any walkways, securing lifted foundations, and strapping in when necessary minimizes tripping hazards and falling risks.
Hazardous Energy
Hazardous energy protocols, also known as lockout and tagout standards, protect employees from equipment's electrical, thermal, mechanical, and chemical hazards while servicing and maintaining. Hazardous energy threats include but aren’t limited to burning, crashing (if it's an operational vehicle), electrocution, cuts. Although the danger is rare in veterinary offices, proper lockout protection minimizes the hazards within the workplace. Turning off power sources and repairing items in a safe zone and within isolated parameters ensures you comply with OSHA.
The best prevention against common OSHA violations is through adequate and thorough health and safety training. At Gamma Compliance, we offer a range of training manuals for the medical industry, like veterinary OSHA compliance programs. Training helps you learn and enforce necessary practices that keep your workplace compliant, healthy, safe, and far from violations.