Most frequently violated construction rules for 2011 – fall protection tops the list (again)

Few things are as unchanging on end-of-the-year “top 10” lists as violations of Oregon OSHA’s General fall protection requirements (437-003-1501). General fall protection has held firmly to the No. 1 spot since the rule became law in 2002. This rule says when workers are exposed to a hazard that could cause them to fall 10 feet or more, they must be protected by guard rails, safety nets, personal fall arrest systems, or other system described in Fall-protection systems criteria and practice (1926.502).

Of course, it’s usually easy to see workers who are working at heights without protection, which makes it easy to observe or report a violation, too.

The remaining rules on the top 10 list haven’t changed much over the years either. Most are related to preventing falls – from ladders, roofs, and other working surfaces. And when you consider that falls are still the leading cause of construction-related injuries, the violations should not be too surprising.

Now, if you’re coming up short on New Year’s resolutions this year, you might consider inviting an Oregon OSHA compliance officer for an on-site visit. Really. If you haven’t begun work at a site and you’d like help with safety planning, you can schedule a pre-job conference; a compliance officer will come out to your site and advise you on safe practices that can avoid citations. Usually, you can schedule a pre-job conference and have a compliance officer visit you site within a few days. Call Oregon OSHA at 503-378-3272 to schedule a pre-job conference.

Oregon OSHA’s top ten construction-rule violations – 2011
Rank	Standard violated	Description	Number of violations	Total initial penalties
1	437-003-1501	General fall-protection requirements	183	$343,955
2	1926.1053(b)	Requirements for use of ladders	104	$39,145
3	437-003-503(2)	Certification of fall-protection training	77	$2,395
4	437-001-765(13)	Documentation of safety committee meetings	76	$400
5	437-003-503(1)	Fall protection training program	47	$28,970
6	1926.451(g)	Scaffolding, general requirements	39	$32,160
7	437-001-765(1)	Rules about safety committees or safety meetings	33	$4,315
8	1926.59(e)	Written hazard communication program	30	$995
9	1926.502(d)	Personal fall-arrest systems	29	$12,650
10	437-001-760(1)	Employers' responsibilities	29	$40,070