OSHA Defense

The Most Cited Safety Violations on Tennessee Construction Worksites featured image

The Most Cited Safety Violations on Tennessee Construction Worksites

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has developed specific safety standards by which workplaces must adhere. Although injuries and deaths occur in different industries, the construction industry is at a greater risk for injury or death. Numbers show that one in five deaths happen to occur on construction sites. Along with OSHA, our Tennessee OSHA attorneys believe that identifying and correcting them at your workplace will result in decreased injuries and fatalities.

Eliminating The Fatal Four

According to the National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2016, fatal work injuries across the United States increased by 7 percent as compared to 2015. In 2016, just under 5,200 deaths were recorded. Of private sector deaths, construction accounted for 21.1 percent.

The Fatal Four—falls, struck by objects, caught in/between hazards, and electrocutions—is OSHA’s biggest safety concern. If employers work diligently to prevent injuries and deaths caused by these four types of accidents, OSHA believes that 631 workers’ lives would be saved annually.

A List of the Most Frequently Cited Standards

If an OSHA inspector finds that your workplace is in violation, the inspector will issue a citation. If you find the process to be overwhelming, a Tennessee OSHA lawyer can assist you with handling the citation. One of the ways to reduce the occurrence of an OSHA violation is to have an awareness of the most commonly cited violations and actively prevent them from happening. Below are the most frequently cited standards in the state of Tennessee.

  1. Standard 1926.501- Lack of fall protection
  2. Standard 1910.1200 – Lack of written hazard communication
  3. Standards 1926.451, 1926.452, and 1926.454 – Failure to meet general requirements, specific scaffolds, and lack of scaffolding training
  4. Standard 1926.503 – Lack of fall protection training
  5. Standard 1926.1053 – Improper ladder use
  6. Standard 1926.453 – Unsafe use of aerial lifts
  7. Standards 1926.651 and 1926.652 – Lack of adequate excavation protective systems and failure to meet excavation safety requirements
  8. TCA 50-3- 105(1) – Failing to uphold general duty to provide a work environment free from known hazards
  9. Standard 1926.100 – Lack of head protection
  10. Standard 1926.21 – Lack of safety training
  11. Standard 1926.50 – Lack of first aid
  12. TDLWD Rule 0800- 01-04 – Lack of abatement certification
  13. Standard 1926.102 – Lack of eye and face protection
  14. TDLWD Rule 0800- 01-03 – Lack of OSHA 300 Log documentation
  15. Standard 1910.134 – Lack of respiratory protection, testing, training, etc.
  16. Standard 1926.405 – Failing to abide by general rules for wiring methods, components, and equipment use
  17. Standard 1926.1052 Lack of stairway protection

If you would like to speak with a Tennessee OSHA attorney, please contact us today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.