By Ruth Kiefer, Loss Control Manager, MSc, ARM
As you know one of the nerve-racking issues of keeping up with the MIOSHA safety standards is when a compliance officer comes to visit and puts your safety efforts to the test. Their visits can be spurred by an employee complaint, your industry code being on their strategic plan, or a visit that results from a severe injury. A recent visit in December of 2016, to a manufacturing plant in Ypsilanti, resulted in $265,600 in fines. The MIOSHA inspector found eight serious, six repeat serious, and three other-than-serious safety violations that were noted during the visit. The safety standards that were in violation were the same things that were on our April’s edition of MIOSHA’s top 10 safety violations. The list of standards found in violation included:
- General Provisions – Part 1
- Abrasive Wheels – Part 1A
- Floor and Wall Openings – Part 2
- Fire Exits – Part 6
- Cutting & Welding – Part 12
- Refuse Packer Units – Part 17
- Powered Industrial Trucks – Part 21
- Metalworking Machinery – Part 26
- Safety–Related Work Practices – Part 40
- LOTO – Part 85
- Hazard Communication – Part 92
The manufacturing industries that are currently on MIOSHA’s strategic plan with a goal of reducing worker injuries in high-hazard industries by 15% include, wood products manufacturing (321), primary metal mfg. (331), fabricated metal product mfg. (332), machinery mfg. (333), transportation equipment mfg. (336), support activities for transportation (488), and warehousing and storage (493).
As many of you know, our loss control team is highly trained and well versed regarding the MIOSHA standards. One of our loss control services includes performing a safety walkthrough of your facility to help to identify the most frequently sited and serious violations along with recommendations on how to abate the violation. With the new increases in MIOSHA fines that began January 1, 2017, I would highly suggest that you take advantage of this safety survey service that is provided by MTMIC to all policyholders. If you would like to coordinate a safety survey for your facility, please contact your loss control consultant, so that he or she may assist you in complying with the MIOSHA safety standards.
