In 1971, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) created an Outreach Training Program as a voluntary program with a purpose to promote workplace safety and health, as well as help workers become more knowledgeable about workplace hazards and their rights. Over the years OSHA has done well to expand the reach of the program and with this growth has increased training availability with their train-the-trainer format. In fact according to OSHA, between FY 2008 and FY 2013, more than 3.6 million workers were trained in job hazard recognition and avoidance through the program.

OSHA offers Outreach Training Programs for 4 industries: Construction, General Industry, Maritime, and Disaster Site work. For the sake of this article, we will be covering the construction and general industries. Although their class formats and even a few topics are similar, generally they cover a different set of topics and the atmosphere and scope is much different and taking one over the other can be unnecessary and a waste of time and money, depending on the industry you work in.

Why were these implemented?

The OSHA Outreach Training Program provides training on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of workplace hazards. Outreach classes also provide overview information regarding OSHA, including workers’ rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint.

Why take one over another?

The 10 hour courses are designed and intended for entry or lower level workers, due to the nature of the material covered. It is a more simplistic approach and covers a smaller scope. The 30 hour courses are designed and intended for higher level workers, those with some safety responsibility, due to the larger scope and more topics included in the 30 hour course. Although it should be noted, that any worker would benefit from either 10 hour or 30 hour courses; however as stated earlier, a worker in the construction industry would not get a proper representation of their industry in the general industry course and vice versa.

What is the difference between the two?

As per OSHA.gov’s website: “The 10 hour course provides basic awareness training on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of workplace hazards. The course also provides information regarding workers' rights, employer responsibilities, and filing a complaint.

The 30 hour course provides a greater depth and variety of training on an expanded list of topics associated with workplace hazards in each industry. OSHA provides authorized trainers procedures for each industry program on the topic outlines for each industry.”

The neat thing about these programs is that they are customizable to a company’s own wants and needs. For example, the 10 hour General Industry course covers the following mandatory topics:

• Introduction to OSHA
• Walking/Working Surfaces
• Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, Fire Prevention and Protection Plans
• Electrical Hazards
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Hazard Communication

With the following example topics being selective or optional and can be selected to best tailor to a specific company based on want/need:

• Hazardous Material Flammable/Combustible
• Machine Guarding
• Confined Space Entry Awareness
• Lock Out/Tag Out

The list becomes even longer when you look at a 30 hour OSHA course. It is a more detailed version of the previous topics and also includes Materials Handling in the mandatory topics, but adds 6 or so additional topics to be covered. The construction industry courses include even more additional topics for individual selection. The mandatory topics are different as well, tailored to include more construction specific topics, the most important difference is that of “Focus Four Hazards” which include: Fall Protection, Electrical, Struck By, and Caught in/Between.

Can anyone take either class?

These courses are not designed to be exclusive to an age group. Everyone, of all ages, can benefit from OSHA courses. Especially the general industry as it covers a good number of general topics (as the name would imply) that can be used in any setting, even an office workplace or at home.

And again, you should be certain to verify which course (General Industry or Construction Industry) is a best fit for you when registering. At STS, we are happy to answer anyone's questions regarding this difference, as it important to attend the correct one for your industry. Find out more by contacting us! 

Are these classes required?

Short answer, no. They are a recommendation from OSHA as an orientation to occupational safety and health for workers. However, some states have enacted laws that mandate the training. Also, certain employers or organizations may require this training.

What are the benefits to me?

With the courses not being mandatory for all, what is the reason you should take these courses? Well, in a perfect world, one would hope you’d want to take these courses simply to establish a good safety values and attitude at your workplace. But the reality is often times not so. So below you will find a few valuable reasons to engage yourself or your staff into OSHA compliance safety training.

• It promotes good safety culture through peer training
• Training is intended to be participatory, using hands-on activities
• Trainers are able to tailor the training topics based on specific needs of their audience
• Outreach training content includes hazard recognition and avoidance, workers’ rights, employer responsibilities, and hot to file a complaint; it emphasizes the value of safety and health to workers, including young workers
• Outreach training is available in languages other than English (Spanish, Polish, etc.)

In a previous article, we covered the 'Top Ten Violations' by Federal OSHA for FY 2013. I have wanted to come back to this topic once a bit more information was revealed, and what do you know? I recently came across an article from the National Safety Council (NSC.org) that not only had my previous list of "Most Frequently Cited" from last year, but it also included the top five sections cited under each OSHA Standard. As an added bonus, I have also included the "Top 10 Serious Violations" and the "Top 10 Willful Violations." Of course, both of these are for FY 2013 as well. 

Before I jump into the numbers, I wanted to help our readers fully understand what the difference between these types of violations. I have included below the definitions as stated by OSHA.

TYPES OF VIOLATIONS

SERIOUS: A serious violation exists when the workplace hazard could cause an accident or illness that would most likely result in death or serious physical harm, unless the employer did not know or could not have known of the violation.

WILLFUL: A willful violation is defined as a violation in which the employer either knowingly failed to comply with a legal requirement (purposeful disregard) or acted with plain indifference to employee safety.

OSHA’s Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Violations for FY 2013

1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501) – 8,739 

• Residential construction [(b)(13)] – 4,733
• Unprotected sides and edges [(b)(1)] – 1,696
• Roofing work on low-slope roofs [(b)(10)] – 912
• Steep roofs [(b)(11)] – 656
• Holes [(b)(4)] – 328
    

• Maintaining a written hazard communication program [(e)(1)] – 2,469
• Providing employees with information and training [(h)(1)] – 1,561
• Chemical container labeling [(f)(5)] – 701
• Maintaining Safety Data Sheets [(g)(8)] – 611
• Obtaining or developing Safety Data Sheets [(g)(1)] – 496
    

• Protection from falls to a lower level [(g)(1)] – 1,589
• Planking or decking requirements [(b)(1)] – 788
• Point of access for scaffold platforms [(e)(1)] – 871
• Foundation requirements [(c)(2)] – 632
• Guardrail requirements [(g)(4)] – 376
   

Respiratory Protection (1910.134) – 4,153 

• Medical evaluation general requirements [(e)(1)] – 705
• Establishing and implementing written respirator protection program [(c)(1)] – 650
• Covering situations when respirator use is not required [(c)(2)] – 510
• Respirator selection general requirements [(d)(1)] – 342
• Ensuring respirators are fit tested [(f)(2)] – 332
   

• Use of flexible cords and cables [(g)(1)] – 1,004
• Conductors entering boxes, cabinets, or fittings [(b)(1)] – 821
• Identification, splices and terminations [(g)(2)] – 703
• Covers and canopies [(b)(2)] – 577
• Temporary wiring [(a)(2)] – 194
    

• Safe operation [(l)(1)] – 905
• Refresher training and evaluation [(l)(4)] – 575
• Avoidance of duplicative training [(l)(6)] – 377
• Taking truck out of service when repairs are necessary [(p)(1)] – 336
• Maintenance of industrial trucks [(q)(7)] – 304
   

• Requirements for portable ladders used for accessing upper landing surfaces [(b)(1)] – 1,866
• Ladder use only for its designed purpose [(b)(4)] – 482
• Not using the top or top step of step-ladder as a step [(b)(13)] – 268
• Marking portable ladders with structural defects with tags noting them as defective [(b)(16)] – 215
• Employees shall not carry objects or loads that could cause them to lose balance and fall [(b)(22)] – 107
   

Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) – 3,505 

• Energy control procedure [(c)(4)] – 996
• Periodic inspection [(c)(6)] – 653
• Energy control program [(c)(1)] – 651
• Training and communication [(c)(7)] – 580
• Lockout or tagout device application [(d)(4)] – 169
    

• Installation and use of equipment [(b)(2)] – 814
• Space around electric equipment [(g)(1)] – 670
• Guarding of live parts [(g)(2)] – 347
• Services, feeders, and branch circuits [(f)(2)] – 327
• Examination of equipment [(b)(1)] – 280
    

• Types of guarding [(a)(1)] – 1,815
• Point of operation guarding [(a)(3)] – 662
• Anchoring fixed machinery [(b)] – 214
• Exposure of blades [(a)(5)] – 79
• General requirements [(a)(2)] – 73

Top 10 Serious Violations Federal OSHA issued in FY 2013

1. Fall Protection (1926.501) – 7,492
    
2. Scaffolding (1926.451) – 5,213
    
3. Hazard Communication (1910.1200) – 3,761
    
4. Ladders (1926.1053) – 3,162
    
5. Electrical – Wiring Methods (1910.305) – 2,923
    
6. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) – 2,832
    
7. Machine Guarding (1910.212) – 2,588
    
8. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) – 2,539
    
9. Respiratory Protection (1910.134) – 2,365
    
10. Electrical – General Requirements (1910.303) – 2,204

Top 10 Willful Violations Federal OSHA issued in FY 2013

1. Fall protection (1926.501) – 73
    
2. Excavations (1926.652) – 34
    
3. Lead (1926.62) – 25
    
4. Machine Guarding (1910.212) – 23
    
5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) – 20
    
6. Scaffolding (1926.451) – 19
    
7. Guarding Floor and Wall Openings and Holes (1910.23) – 18
    
8. Respiratory Protection (1910.134) – 17
    
9. Process Safety Management (1910.119) – 14
    
10. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) – 10

Remember, in the safety world, if you think you have a problem....chances are you do! This is where Safety Training Services can help! We will train (and/or retrain) you and your employees on OSHA compliance & other safety-related courses. Our site or yours, our hands-on courses will provide you with appropriate training to keep you safe and consistent to OSHA requirements.

OSHA’s Top 10 Violations for 2013
(& Other Interesting OSHA Facts)

• Federal OSHA has 10 regional offices and 90 local area offices.

• They had a budget of $563,658,000 in FY 2013.

• They conducted 40,961 Federal inspections in FY 2012.

• 4,383 workers were killed on the job in 2012.

• That's 3.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers

On average, more than 84 a week or nearly 12 deaths every day.

• This is the second lowest preliminary total since the fatal injury census was first conducted in 1992.

• Fatal work injuries involving contractors accounted for 16 percent of all fatal work injuries in 2012.

• Out of 3,945 worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2012, 775 or 19.6% were in construction.

  • The leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites were falls, followed by struck by object, electrocution, and caught-in/between.

  • These "Fatal Four" were responsible for nearly three out of five (56%) construction worker deaths in 2012.

Eliminating the Fatal Four would save 435 workers' lives in America every year.

• Falls – 278 out of 775 total deaths in construction in CY 2012 (36%)
• Struck by Object – 78 (10%)
• Electrocutions – 66 (9%)
• Caught-in/between – 13 (2%)

OSHA’s Top Ten Violations for 2013

The following were the top 10 most frequently cited standards by Federal OSHA in fiscal year 2013 (October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013):

1. Fall Protection (1926.501) 8,241 violations (No Change) (991 more than 2012)
    
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200) 6,156 violations (No Change) (1,460 more than 2012)
    
3. Scaffolding (1926.451) 5,423 violations (No Change) (1,609 more than 2012)
    
4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134) 3,879 violations (No Change) (1,508 more than 2012)
    
5. Electrical, Wiring Methods (1910.305) 3,452 violations (Up 3) (1,708 more than 2012)
    
6. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) 3,340 violations (Up 1) (1,347 more than 2012)
    
7. Ladders (1926.1053) 3,311 violations (Down 2) (1,001 more than 2012)
    
8. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) 3,254 violations (Up 1) (1,682 more than 2012)
    
9. Electrical, General Requirements (1910.303) 2,745 violations (Up 1) (1,413 more than 2012)
    
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212) 2,701 violations (Down 4) (604 more than 2012)

OSHA is Making a Difference
 

• Since 1970, workplace fatalities have been reduced by more than 65 percent and occupational injury and illness rates have declined by 67 percent. At the same time, U.S. employment has almost doubled.
• Worker deaths in America are down–on average, from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 12 a day in 2012.
• Worker injuries and illnesses are down–from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 3.5 per 100 in 2011.