Last year, just the four most common workplace safety violations alone resulted in companies paying over $4.3 million in L&I fines!
You need to know the biggest workplace safety issues L&I penalized companies for in 2016 — or you might make some very expensive mistakes in 2017!
L&I fines for fall protection violations:
Fall protection violations were the number one reason L&I penalized companies in 2016.
- 940 businesses were cited for fall protection violations
- They paid $3,163,500 in fines
That’s a big bite out of company profits!
Resources for fall protection:
Fortunately, there’s a business in Kitsap County that specializes in fall protection, which means it’ll be very easy for your company to stay on the right side of government regulations.
Check out Gravitec and give them a call if you have employees working at heights.
They will consult with you and provide the fall protection equipment and training your company needs to avoid those pricey L&I fines
L&I fines for companies without Accident Prevention Programs:
Companies that didn’t have Accident Prevention Programs (APP) were the second largest target in the sights of L&I inspectors in 2016.
- 821 businesses were cited
- They paid fines totaling $436,320
All businesses are required to have an APP, regardless of industry or the size of the company.
Developing an Accident Prevention Program is easy:
Creating an APP may sound complex, but L&I has templates on their website that will guide you through the process.
As a staffing company, L&I requires us to ask our clients for copies of their Accident Prevention Programs, to ensure our temporary workers will be protected on the job. It’s surprising (and a bit alarming) how often our client companies don’t know they are required to have an APP.
Taking a few minutes to create an Accident Prevention Plan can save your business a lot of money!
Chemical hazard communication violations:
In 2016, businesses that didn’t have chemical hazard communication programs were L&I’s third largest target.
- 687 businesses were penalized
- They paid L&I fines totaling $325,240
If your business involves any hazardous chemicals, you must have a written hazard communication policy.
L&I offers an easy template to help you create one!
Personal protective equipment violations:
Personal protective equipment (PPE) violations were number four on L&I’s Naughty List in 2016.
- 369 companies received citations
- They paid $412,500 in fines
As part of your Accident Prevention Program, you will conduct a hazard assessment to determine what personal protective equipment employees need to wear for safety.
Personal protective equipment requirements:
- Your business must provide PPE to your employees at no cost to them
- Employees must receive training to correctly use the personal protective equipment
You can ask employees to provide their own personal protective equipment, but only if it’s something they would wear outside the workplace, such as safety shoes or steel-toed boots.
Check out this handy guide by L&I for answers to all your PPE questions!
Let’s learn from 2016’s mistakes!
The millions of dollars companies spent paying L&I fines last year weren’t just a massive waste of money. Those fines represent countless workers who were exposed to unneeded risks.
Nobody wants to become an L&I statistic, so let’s make 2017 the Year of Proactive Workplace Safety!