1/2016
Importance of Remaining OSHA Compliant
Any business with employees knows the importance of remaining OSHA compliant, and if they do not, they should. OSHA is an acronym for Occupational Safety & Health Administration and it is the governing agency that exists to "assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance." This protection for employees is also beneficial to employers because when employers are OSHA compliant they often receive a discount on insurance and have the peace of mind that they are protecting their business from liability as much as possible. Utility workers that have to access, service and maintain pipes and valves for local utilities have an important job but one that can also put them in danger. Valves and pipes are often located in hard to access areas, the areas may be dark, wet, slippery and downright perilous. Implementing safety standards and diminishing risk is important not only to help protect utility companies and local governments that employ these workers but also to give employees a more safe workplace where they can have peace of mind that they are not being put in danger.
Debris caps are one solution that may help dramatically reduce risk and help a business become OSHA compliant. Debris caps easily fit over pipes and valves to prevent dirt, debris, water and other things from collecting in pipes and valves and gradually causing erosion or other damage. Debris caps help reduce response time in the event of an emergency, help protect against unauthorized access to pipes and valves, and help make reduce the need for constant maintenance as well as make routine maintenance much more simple. By installing debris caps, utility companies and governments will save money from the benefits that debris caps provide but by becoming OSHA compliant they will also help reduce the risk of costly liability and reduce insurance costs. Chron explains why it is important for every business to become and stay OSHA compliant, " OSHA has had significant effects on workplace safety. Although U.S. employment has almost doubled, workplace fatalities have gone down by more than 65 percent since OSHA’s inception. There were about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 as compared to 13 per day in 2011. Occupational injury and illness rates have also lowered noticeably. In 1972 the workforce experienced about 10.9 incidents per 100 workers as compared to fewer than 4 per 100 in 2010. Compliance with OSHA regulations along with implementing your own well-designed safety program can save your business money. Accidents and injuries occurring on the job can result in major medical and legal expenses. Training your employees and having a program in place can prevent these costly incidents from occurring. Maintaining a safe environment for your workers rewards you with increased productivity and higher morale as well... OSHA enforces its regulations by using citations and penalties as a deterrent. Businesses found not in compliance with OSHA regulations have a limited time to pay or appeal their citation. Those who fail to do so face stiff penalties or costly consequences. Having a citation on your record could affect your ability to bid for jobs and government contracts." Debris caps come with a lockout option that OSHA has ruled a necessary feature for a business to be compliant, "....the agency must promulgate the standard which assures the greatest protection of the safety or health of the affected employees .... the standard's preference for locks over tags is warranted by the fact that lock-based safety programs are less susceptible to human error and thus can be expected to save more lives and avoid more injuries than tag-based programs."The agency reaffirms its finding that lockout is a superior means of protection .... the final standard requires employers with lockable equipment to use lockout unless the employer is able to show that the use of tagout will provide a level of safety equal to that of a lockout program." "The use of SW Services Lockout / Debris Cap™ is an acceptable means of locking out system energy control valves, such as those located below ground level, which are accessed through risers and valve boxes, by limiting access to the valve itself." CAL - OSHA."