While most employers follow OSHA guidelines to keep workers safe, others are not as smart. If you mess with OSHA, you might find yourself on their list of severe violators.
Who are severe violators?
- Employers who actively ignore safety regulations and put employees in danger are considered severe violators. The worst of the worst violators are added to a public list identifying them as severe violators, and they are subject to follow-up inspections.
The Severe Violator Enforcement Program
- The Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP) was established in the early 2000’s to catch and halt severe violators. It was unable to fully identify and address severe violators, so the program ultimately failed. The Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) was created in 2010 to change the former EEP by adding more stringent requirements.
- To be placed into the Severe Violator Enforcement Program, employers must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Willful repeat of failure-to-abate for serious violations related to an employee’s death, or the hospitalization of three or more employees
- Two or more willful repeats or failure-to-abates based on “high gravity” serious violations related to high-emphasis hazards like falls, amputations or trenching
- Two or more willful repeats or failure-to-abates based on “high gravity” serious violations related to the potential release of a hazardous chemical, as defined in the Process Safety Management Standard
- All egregious or per-instance citation actions
- To be removed from the Severe Violators Enforcement Program, employers must:
- Decrease all SVEP-related hazards
- Pay all final penalties
- Obey and complete settlement provisions
- Avoid serious citations that would place them back into the SVEP
How to stay out of the SVEP:
OSHA is serious when it comes to safety. Use the proper safety equipment and follow safety guidelines to keep your employees safe. Strong Man can help with a wide variety of safety products to fit your job site needs. When in doubt, play it safe—risk, to your employees, their families and your company, is never worth it.
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http://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/11911-a-look-at-oshas-sever…