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OSHA to Change Workplace Penalties Standards in 2020

In the past years, many businesses have failed to meet the safety requirements provided by The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). This inconvenience creates safety hazards and has led to increased injuries and deaths. With reason, OSHA implements standards to ensure both worker and workplace safety, a standard some workers have failed to meet. In order to further impose all regulations, OSHA has raised its civil workplace penalties by approximately 1.8% in January of 2020.

Workplace Penalties

Something must be done in order for regulations to be met without fail. According to OSHA, the primary goal is to correct workplace safety and ensure compliance within businesses. So, OSHA has determined the degree of each penalty depending on the type of employee misconduct. Ranging from more serious to less, violation of OSHA standards is a serious matter. The workplace penalties target the following violations:

  • Willful: from $132,598 to now $134,937 per violation
  • Serious Hazard: from $13,260 to now $13,494 per violation
  • Posting Requirement: from $13,260 to now $13,494 per violation
  • Failure to Abate: from $13,260 to now $13,494 per day beyond the abatement date

OSHA Inspections

In addition to executing violation penalties, OSHA has the right to conduct on-site inspections of businesses. Inspections must be conducted by an OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO). If during the inspection an officer discovers a hazard or standard violation, the inspector may issue citations and penalties. Generally, inspections begin with a presentation of agency credentials and an opening conference that includes a worksite walk-around and closing conference. It is important for all workers to understand and respect all safety regulations.

Abatement Process

If an agency issues any citations or penalties, an employer is able to request an informal conference with the OSHA Area Director. There, they will have the opportunity to discuss citations, penalties, abatement dates, and other information relating to the inspection. This allows the agency and employer to work out a settlement agreement and address hazards found during the inspection. However, new analyses show that companies are taking advantage of the abatement process in order to lessen their penalty charges. For example, one company charged with penalties received a 93% offset in penalties after their abatement process.

New Year, New Rules

Overall, the final rule put in place by OSHA implements annual inflation adjustments of enforced penalties. It also includes other agencies within the Department of Labor. The main goal is to centralize safety within all industries. This aligns with Sigalarm’s mission to save lives. More specifically, we use our proximity alarms to warn workers in close proximity to power lines. Our job is effective knowing that we can save just one life. Learn more about us on our website, and contact us today!

OSHA announces final rule

OSHA’s electric power generation standards address workplace safety. The rules within the standards concern the safety and health of employees working with electric power generation, transmission and distribution. However, the final rule was updated nearly 40 years after they had been established with the aim to improve the operation and maintenance of equipment. Read on to see why these standards are crucial and demand periodic revision.

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Sigalarm Nova Award Nomination in 2011

Sigalarm is a well-respected company in the world of power line alarms. Used by everyone from construction companies to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, Sigalarm has a long history of protecting both workers and equipment. And the industry has noticed. In 2011, for example, Sigalarm received a Nova Award Nomination for achievements in innovative construction. Being nominated for this honor was a thrilling experience and one that Sigalarm is proud of to this day.

Sigalarm Nova Award Nomination in 2011

How a Nova Award Nomination Works

The Nova Awards are the brainchild of the Construction Innovation Forum (CIF), an international nonprofit that has been around since the 1980s. Today, the CIF includes more than 100 member companies. It’s also host to an assortment of contractors, owners, architects, engineers, labor organizations, and associations.

Created with the goal of encouraging quality and affordability in construction, the Nova Awards are the Nobel Prizes of the building world. They are the only awards to consider all aspects of the construction industry. Simply receiving a Nova Award nomination was a testament to Sigalarm’s innovation and expertise. Additionally, it showed the company’s strong commitment to serving the public.

Why Power Line Alarm Systems Matter

A majority of fatal electrocutions occur as a result of equipment coming in contact with high voltage power lines. That’s why Sigalarm designed its warning systems to help operators who become distracted. The company estimates that organizations could prevent at least 20 percent of fatal incidents if they incorporated alarms into their operations. With more than 41 years of experience on the job, Sigalarm protects employees and equipment in various industries around the world.

Contact Sigalarm for Your Power Line Safety 0Needs

We know there’s nothing more important than the safety of your employees. To that end, we offer a full range of power line warning systems, including Hirtzer insulated links and line contact alarms. Our proximity alarms systems are designed to keep you and your team safe on the job while protecting pedestrians and passers-by. To learn more about how we can help your company or organization, call today or contact our experts online.

SIG-What-are-efields

 

Keeping workers safe when they’re in close proximity to power lines can be a challenge. In most cases, it requires complete concentration on the task at hand, awareness of the high voltage line as well as the proximity to it. At Sigalarm, our high voltage warning systems use e-fields to detect the presence of high voltage power lines in an effort to keep people and equipment from running afoul of a power line. Read more

Contractors Hot Line Magazine 2017

Sigalarm had the honor to be featured on the cover and main story for Contractors Hot Line Magazine June 2017. To download the full magazine click here.

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OSHA Making Changes to Crane Rules

There will be changes to three existing OSHA regulations starting in 2017. These three regulation changes by OSHA will impact crane operator certification requirements, redefining the term “hoisting.” They will also affect crane usage for railroad projects. Let’s examine each of these changes in a bit more depth. Read more