OSHA Establishes Local Emphasis Program in Wis. and Offers Compliance Assistance
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may be more popularly associated with safety at construction sites, but actually it affects all sectors because work safety cuts across industries. This March, OSHA put together a local emphasis program to protect workers from the range of dangers on Wisconsin dairy farms, from those involving animal handling to manure storage.
"Far too many workers are injured and killed in preventable incidents at dairy farms in Wisconsin," revealed Mark Hysell, OSHA area director in Eau Claire, Wis. "This program will enable OSHA inspectors to visit dairy farms and ensure that all required measures are taken to protect workers."
Most employers today already require OSHA courses, such as OSHAcampus 30 hour and 10 hour training (both online OSHA training), as hiring requirements to reduce worksite injuries, and local emphasis programs, such as the one established on Wisconsin dairy farms, go a long in enhancing safe work environments and conditions.
Based on Wisconsin Dairy Farm Census of Agriculture data, some 34,000 workers are currently employed in the state's dairy farms. About 40 percent of them are immigrants, who may be not as familiar with safety and health rights and responsibilities as other workers. Since 2006, OSHA reported having investigated five fatality inspections at dairy farms in Wisconsin.
Under the local emphasis program, OSHA hopes to perform thorough safety and health inspections at dairy farms that have 10 non-immediate family member employees and at dairy farms that have run a temporary labor camp in the last 12 months. OSHA said that each inspection will include detailed questions to accumulate information on common dangers associated with the operation of horizontal bunker silos, skid-steer and tractor operations, and hazard communication.
OSHA is also endeavoring to make the work of cleanup crews—who often must brave inclement weather and the dangers of destroyed structures, fallen trees, and downed power lines—as safe as possible after a storm or a tornado.
Although most employers now require OSHA courses, such as OSHA 30 training and OSHA 10 training (both online OSHA training) as hiring requirements, OSHA’s providing compliance assistance still helps mitigate hazards and minimize the risks injuries on the ground.
"The safety and health of these cleanup crews are our chief concern, and we are on the ground in affected areas providing compliance assistance," said Greg Baxter, the OSHA acting regional administrator in Chicago. "Storm recovery efforts expose workers to a wide range of hazards, which can be minimized by knowledge, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment."
According to OSHA, among the dangers usually encountered during cleanup work are downed electrical wires, carbon monoxide and electrical hazards from portable generators, burns, lacerations, being struck by traffic or heavy equipment, and hazards from tree trimming or working at heights.
OSHA enjoins workers and employers in recovery work to call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) if they need onsite assistance in their areas. Vital information on safe work practices and personal protective equipment can be found on OSHA's Tornado Recovery page at http://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/tornado/index.html.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) may be more popularly associated with safety at construction sites, but actually it affects all sectors because work safety cuts across industries. This March, OSHA put together a local emphasis program to protect workers from the range of dangers on Wisconsin dairy farms, from those involving animal handling to manure storage.
"Far too many workers are injured and killed in preventable incidents at dairy farms in Wisconsin," revealed Mark Hysell, OSHA area director in Eau Claire, Wis. "This program will enable OSHA inspectors to visit dairy farms and ensure that all required measures are taken to protect workers."
Most employers today already require OSHA courses, such as OSHAcampus 30 hour and 10 hour training (both online OSHA training), as hiring requirements to reduce worksite injuries, and local emphasis programs, such as the one established on Wisconsin dairy farms, go a long in enhancing safe work environments and conditions.
Based on Wisconsin Dairy Farm Census of Agriculture data, some 34,000 workers are currently employed in the state's dairy farms. About 40 percent of them are immigrants, who may be not as familiar with safety and health rights and responsibilities as other workers. Since 2006, OSHA reported having investigated five fatality inspections at dairy farms in Wisconsin.
Under the local emphasis program, OSHA hopes to perform thorough safety and health inspections at dairy farms that have 10 non-immediate family member employees and at dairy farms that have run a temporary labor camp in the last 12 months. OSHA said that each inspection will include detailed questions to accumulate information on common dangers associated with the operation of horizontal bunker silos, skid-steer and tractor operations, and hazard communication.
OSHA is also endeavoring to make the work of cleanup crews—who often must brave inclement weather and the dangers of destroyed structures, fallen trees, and downed power lines—as safe as possible after a storm or a tornado.
Although most employers now require OSHA courses, such as OSHA 30 training and OSHA 10 training (both online OSHA training) as hiring requirements, OSHA’s providing compliance assistance still helps mitigate hazards and minimize the risks injuries on the ground.
"The safety and health of these cleanup crews are our chief concern, and we are on the ground in affected areas providing compliance assistance," said Greg Baxter, the OSHA acting regional administrator in Chicago. "Storm recovery efforts expose workers to a wide range of hazards, which can be minimized by knowledge, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment."
According to OSHA, among the dangers usually encountered during cleanup work are downed electrical wires, carbon monoxide and electrical hazards from portable generators, burns, lacerations, being struck by traffic or heavy equipment, and hazards from tree trimming or working at heights.
OSHA enjoins workers and employers in recovery work to call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) if they need onsite assistance in their areas. Vital information on safe work practices and personal protective equipment can be found on OSHA's Tornado Recovery page at http://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/tornado/index.html.
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