Rick Kaletsky has been a safety consultant since 1992, specializing in hazard recognition and abatement, site inspection, accident investigation and citation resolution. Rick previously spent 20 years with OSHA as a compliance safety and health officer, supervisory safety specialist and assistant area director. He is the author of “OSHA Inspections: Preparation and Response.” The updated/enhanced 10th printing (2006) is available at www.nsc.org. Contact Rick at (203) 393-1233 or RKaletsky@aol.com.
Even in 2007, violations of OSHA machine safeguarding standards are still all too common. Many companies could benefit from a review of these OSHA regulations. Here’s a synopsis of the standards and some safeguarding tips to help you evaluate your program to see if your safeguards measure up.
Not too long ago, I helped investigate a “double fatality†that occurred in California. The first victim was the initial entrant into a permit-required confined space. The second victim was a well-meaning fellow employee attempting a rescue effort. Very sadly, this type of tragedy is not uncommon.