OSHA Expands its Amputation Program
OSHA has begun targeting industries, including springmaking, that use any equipment that could cause amputations. Since 2002, SMI has been advising its members to make certain that their power presses (punch presses) are guarded in accordance to OSHA standards in CFR 1910.217. OSHA has a special National Emphasis Program (NEP) on this equipment and has conducted thousands of inspections to enforce power press guarding. Now they have expanded the special-emphasis program to include other types of machinery and equipment. This new directive applies to any general-industry workplace where any machinery and equipment likely to cause amputations is present.
This new directive will target industries associated with amputations rather than equipment associated with amputations. OSHA will be concentrating on a company’s failure to apply proper machine guarding techniques and control of energy hazards during servicing, maintenance and setup activities, which are the primary causes of amputations.
Most companies in the 3400 series of Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) are included in the NEP and will be targeted for an enforcement inspection. This includes SICs 3493, 3495, 3496 and 3499.
Standards that are generally recognized as being related to amputation hazards and are now included in the targeting program are:
1910.147 – Lockout/Tagout.
1910.219 – Power transmission (belt and pulley guarding).
1910.212 – General guarding on all machinery.
1910.213 – Woodworking machinery.
1910.217 – Mechanical power presses.
In focusing on specific industries, OSHA will combine its enforcement data for these standards with the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) amputation numbers and rates.
OSHA’s Top 10 Violations for 2006
OSHA released its top 10 most frequently cited standards and those with the highest penalty assessments for 2006. Seven of the top 10 were in general industry, with three falling under the construction industry standards. These are the top seven for general industry:
1. Hazard Communication 1910.1200.
2. Respiratory Protection 1920.134.
3. Lockout/Tagout 1910.147.
4. Power Industrial Trucks (Forklifts) 1910.178.
5. Electrical, Work Practices 1910.305.
6. Machine Guarding, general 1910.212.
7. Electrical, Systems Design 1910.303.
Highest Penalties for General Industry
1. Machine Guarding, general 1910.212.
2. Lockout/Tagout 1910.147.
3. Process Management, Hazardous Chemicals 1910.119.
4. Power Industrial Trucks (Forklifts) 1910.178.
5. Guarding Floor and Wall openings 1910.23.
6. General Duty Clause 5 (a)(1).
Jim’s Regulatory Tip
Because of the National Emphasis Program (NEP) on amputations, hundreds if not thousands of enforcement inspections will be directed toward the manufacturing sector with an SIC in the 3400 group. If your company falls within this SIC group or if you have had an amputation accident, be prepared. Adequate machine guarding is a must, along with a strong (enforced) Lockout/Tagout program.
OSHA Turned 35
“In 1971, nearly 14,000 people died on the job. In 2005, the number was down to 5,700 people, despite the fact that twice as many people are working today, compared to 35 years ago. To put these numbers into context, if we still had a fatality rate as high as 1971, more than 23,000 people would have died on the job last year.” – Edwin Foulke, OSHA Administrator v
Jim Wood is an independent regulations compliance consultant to SMI. A certified instructor of the OSHA Out-Reach Program, Wood conducts seminars, plant Safety Audits and In-House Safety Training. These programs help companies create safer work environments, limit OSHA/Canadian Ministry of Labor violations and insurance costs, and prepare for VPP or SHARP certification. He also offers safety advice and information by phone at (630) 495-8597 or e-mail at regs@smihq.org.
