OSHA reveals most-violated standards related to COVID-19 | Dump Trucks Charlotte NC

Dump Trucks Columbus OH Insight:

In addition torespiratory protection citations, OSHA also cited employers with violations of:

• Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (Subpart 1904).
• Personal Protective Equipment (1910.132).
• General Duty Clause (OSH Act 5(a)(1)).

On its website, OSHA says that in order to come into compliance in advance of an inspection, employers should consider:

• Providing a medical evaluation before a worker is fit-tested or uses a respirator.
• Using a tight-fitting respirator to perform the fit test.
• Assessing the workplace to determine if COVID-19 hazards are or are likely to be present and if they will require the use of a respirator and/or other PPE.
• Establishing, implementing and updating a written, worksite-specific respiratory protection program;
• Providing an appropriate respirator and/or other PPE to each employee when necessary. 
• Providing up-to-date training to workers on the safe use of respirators and/or other PPE.
• Properly storing respirators and other PPE to protect them from damage.
• Timely reporting of work-related fatalities.
• Keeping required records of work-related fatalities, injuries and illness.

Employers are required to make sure employees wear respirators when jobsite conditions call for their use. Some respirators capture fumes, others dust, but they should not be confused with face coverings like masks and shields that do not achieve as tight a fit. OSHA has issued guidance that construction workers wear face coverings while on the job in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to practice social distancing when possible. 

In the absence of federal OSHA standards regarding the novel coronavirus, some states — Virginia, Michigan and Oregon, which have OSHA-approved state safety programs — have introduced COVID-19 emergency standards. While each program is different in its details, they all have similar components such as the mandatory use of face coverings, social distancing and daily screening of workers and visitors for signs of infection.

One COVID-19-related rule that OSHA has introduced is the mandatory reporting of workplace-related COVID fatalities within eight hours of learning about it. The reporting is only required if the case was connected to workplace exposure.