June 27, 2016
As published in Savannah CEO
Nearly 40 business owners, safety officers, risk managers and human resources professionals from across the Coastal Empire recently participated in an OSHA seminar, where they heard from Georgia Tech and HunterMaclean experts. Myrtle Turner, director of the Georgia Tech OSHA Training Institute Education Center, and HunterMaclean’s managing partner, Brad Harmon, discussed the top 10 OSHA violations and how to prevent them, what to do when OSHA inspects a company’s safety practices, and how to implement a proactive, self-check system to make sure a business is in alignment.
“OSHA’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries and protect the health of America’s workers,” Turner told the audience. “What triggers an inspection are employee complaints, imminent danger, injuries, and industrial risk. Employers need to educate themselves because not knowing is not an excuse.
Harmon said he works with his clients to determine whether or not to contest a citation once it’s been issued.
“However the best policy, and the reason all of you are here today, is to do everything you can to create and maintain a safe workplace for your employees,” he said. “Training, safety updates and communication, immediately responding to employee complaints and even hiring an industrial hygienist will help sustain a safe environment and demonstrate that you strive to meet and exceed safety standards.”
