The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking to raise awareness of hazards in the electrical industry in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. OSHA wants employers to work to reduce the number of serious injuries, illnesses, and fatalities among engineers, electricians, and other professionals who perform electrical operations, including work on overhead lines, cable harnesses, and circuit assemblies.
OSHA has resources to help keep workers safe from industry hazards, such as electrocutions, falls, fires and explosions. Its Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs can assist employers with identifying and fixing hazards before they cause serious or fatal injuries.
From January 2015 through September 2018, OSHA conducted inspections in the three states after reports of 15 worker hospitalizations and two amputations. Six electrical and wiring installation contractors suffered fatal injuries between October 2012 and September 2018.
“Working with electricity can be safe if employers provide workers with adequate training, and implement appropriate systems to reduce the risk of workplace injuries,” says OSHA Regional Administrator Kimberly Stille, in Kansas City, Missouri.
OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program offers no-cost and confidential occupational safety and health services to small- and medium-sized businesses to identify workplace hazards, provide advice for compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing and improving safety and health programs. On-Site Consultation services are separate from enforcement and do not result in penalties or citations.
For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
