The Cost of Doing Business Protecting Lives or Paying Fines

摘要

Fall protection was the most commonly cited OSHA violation in both 2014 and 2015. In response, OSHA is increasing fines for violations and will be conducting more frequent and stringent inspections this year. The goal is to remind organizations of the prevalence of fall protection violations, and help them reinvigorate their efforts to support a safety culture that protects workers from injury and death. According to its online database, OSHA identified close to 600 fall protection violations in the U.S. in 2015 alone, with penalties of at least $40,000 per violation, totaling more than $54 million. Jordan Barab, OSHA deputy assistant secretary, said in a written statement that the agency's "current penalties are clearly not strong enough to provide adequate incentives, and some employers see them as simply the 'cost of doing business.'"