November 18, 2022
OSHA’s multi-employer citation policy, updated confined spaces standard and more news
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Despite multiple court challenges, one as recent as 2018, OSHA’s current multi-employer citation policy has remained in place for over two decades. The agency follows a two-step process, which consists of classifying the employer type and determining whether their actions met the necessary obligations. While OSHA has no current plans to update the policy, a senior director for the Associated General Contractors of America believes the agency should provide more clarity and urges employers to focus on communication and coordination.
The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)
Highlights of the updated ANSI/ASSP confined spaces standard
The recently updated ANSI/ASSP Z117.1 standard provides enhanced requirements and procedures for confined space operations. An Industrial Safety & Hygiene News article discusses four important hazards addressed within the standard including oxygen levels, toxic atmospheres, engulfment and falls.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA)
CVSA releases brake inspection results
During its annual Brake Safety Week in August, CVSA inspectors identified over 5,000 vehicles with out-of-service conditions. This year’s focus was on brake hoses and tube chafing, which amounted to 6,305 violations. Next year’s event is set for August 20-26.
Studies, resources, trends, news
The link between driver behavior and crashes
The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) has been researching the link between truck driver behavior and the likelihood of whether they will be involved in a crash in the future. The organization’s analysis identified over 25 different violations and convictions that increased the likelihood of future crashes. Among those included on the list are at least one previous crash, a reckless driving violation, an improper signal conviction and a failure to yield right-of-way violation.