NTT Blog

Why is OSHA Training Important for Industrial Workers?

In 2016, more than 14 workers were killed on the job each day, according to statistics from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. That’s a total of 5,190 for the year or an average of 99 per week. That’s just the fatalities. Those numbers do not reflect serious, life-changing injuries, or the hundreds of thousands of minor injuries that occur each year.

A branch of the United States Department of Labor, OSHA’s mission is to ensure safe and health-promoting working environments. The organization does this by establishing and reinforcing safety standards and by providing:

• Outreach
• Education
• Training
• Assistance

In 2017, the 10 most frequent citations were issued for:

• Fall protection (construction)
• Hazard communication
• Scaffolding
• Respiratory protection
• Control of hazardous energy
• Ladders
• Powered industrial trucks (forklifts)
• Machinery and machine guarding
• Fall protection (training)
• Electrical hazards

Is OSHA relevant to your business?

OSHA is relevant to every business. On August 3, 2018, OSHA cited a manufacturing company in Illinois for 18 health violations and proposed penalties totaling almost $600,000. Kathy Webb, Director of OSHA’s Chicago South Area Office, said the company needlessly exposed workers to hazards by failing to perform the necessary assessments and by not training its staff in the relevant safety procedures.

On July 31, 2018, OSHA cited a shipbuilder in Oregon for 16 willful and serious violations and levied penalties amounting to $370,358. The inspection was triggered by employee complaints about hazards while performing hot work in the engine room of a passenger ferry. Among the violations were permitting workers to sit on energized circuit boxes, and failing to make sure forklift operators wore seat belts.

Occupational health and safety cover subtle hazards that, as an employer, you might not immediately recognize. For instance, firefighters who show symptoms of burnout are less likely to follow safety procedures. Burnout makes them less likely to:

• Report safety hazards
• Wear personal protective equipment
• Perform in a routinely safe manner

Keeping your workforce safe

All of the above three safety problems could be avoided with proper training. In the first two, failing to train their workforces properly led to hefty OSHA fines. In the third, teaching workers how to recognize the signs of burnout, be they firefighters or engaged in other occupations, could reduce the rates of unsafe behavior and consequently lower accident rates.

Training and informing your employees properly on OSHA standards

One of the best ways to educate your workforce in OSHA safety standards is to offer them training that is approved by OSHA itself. Inviting an on-site speaker to give a four-day OSHA seminar is an efficient way to educate your staff and avoid violations and their consequent hefty fines. These seminars can teach you and your employees:

• How to find and apply OSHA policies, procedures, and health & safety standards.
• How to apply OSHA regulations and standards to your own in-house safety program.
• Identify common violations and stop them in their tracks.
• Conduct your own internal OSHA training.

Getting started on the pathway to workplace safety

At NTT Training, our lives revolve around designing and providing in-house training and hands-on skills for more than 60 electrical and mechanical disciplines. We offer a 30-hour OSHA safety training package that includes textbooks, classroom consumables, and completion certificates. We take care of all the travel and logistics. By having the training on your own premises, you save the expenses of staff travel and accommodation.

At the end of the seminar, your staff will be able to:

• Understand the most violated safety standards.
• Apply tips on how to avoid OSHA citations.
• Demonstrate OSHA certification and training to the Department of Labor.

You will get the additional benefits of a safer working environment and lower insurance costs. Why not contact us today and discuss how we can help you sleep better at night while saving money and, more importantly, saving lives.