SPRINGFIELD – Worker safety is the primary mission of the Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a division of the Illinois Department of Labor. Documenting dangers is one way to avoid them in the future. With that in mind, Illinois OSHA is releasing the Top 5 safety violations Illinois water and sewer departments received in fiscal year 2019.
“We hope that by pointing out the most common safety violations our inspectors have documented at sewer and water departments around the state, that we can avoid or lessen these dangers going forward,” said Ben Noven, director of Illinois OSHA.
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Illinois OSHA’s jurisdiction is over public employees while federal OSHA covers private sector employees.
Top 5 Water and Sewer Department Safety Violations
1. Hazard communications – This involves providing label warnings of hazardous chemicals, data sheets for such hazardous materials and training of employees on these hazards.
2. Medical Services and First Aid – This involves ensuring the ready availability of medical assistance and first aid for workers. In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available.
3. Electrical Wiring Design and Protection – This involves the proper and safe installation and maintenance of electrical systems.
4. Flammable Liquids – This involves the proper storage and safety precautions to be taken around flammable liquids.
5. Personal Protective Equipment – This involves providing and requiring the use of protective equipment wherever it is necessary, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers and maintaining the equipment in a sanitary and reliable condition.
Illinois OSHA protects the health and safety of public employees through the inspection, investigation and evaluation of public facilities and working conditions to ensure compliance with occupational safety and health standards and conducts educational and advisory activities to assure safe and healthy working conditions.
Illinois OSHA is partially funded by two federal grants. The State Plan is a shared 50 percent state/50 percent federal funding. The On-Site Consultation Cooperative Agreement is funded 90 percent by a federal grant with 10 percent state funding.
