Professional Tool Reviews for Pros
A lot of attention surrounded the OSHA fall protection requirements that went into effect back in June of 2011. Smaller contractors still aren’t clear on how to best navigate the myriad of safety precautions. Fall safety and silica dust regulations seem to be more stringently enforced by the agency these days. Really there are (at least) two aspects to OSHA regulations. First, you have the letter of the law as it pertains to compliance. Secondly, you have the common sense implementations that make good business sense no matter who you are or what you do. In either case, you should know how to pass an OSHA inspection. Like most successful efforts, it involves preparation .
While we recommend reading through the specific OSHA regulations, that’s a lot to take in. Our take on how to pass an OSHA inspection can be boiled down into the following basic guidelines to keep in mind when running a job site that involves sub-contractors. If you can’t keep OSHA off your job site, you can at least learn how to pass an inspection.
It comes down to understanding what OSHA looks for. If you want to pass an OSHA inspection, you need to be aware of the things they look for in compliance. A good place to start is noticing where they often cite violations.
Following are the top 10 OSHA violations:
This list hasn’t changed much over the past 5 years—that should tell you something.
You want to attract OSHA? Let your job site get cluttered. Leave tools lying around and don’t remove debris. That will make the casual OSHA inspector stop his car and go in for a closer look. If you can’t keep your job site clean, and instruct your sub-contractors to do the same, it’s doubtful you’ll adhere to proper OSHA procedures. Miss this and you become a bright light that attracts OSHA like some curious mosquito…and they sting a lot harder.
If you’re doing work on roofs above a 4 pitch, OSHA wants you to use anchor points, harnesses, and lifelines. If you aren’t going to use these (opting for guard rails, etc) then you need to adhere to the policies and procedures regarding exceptions. These are lengthy and specific.
You can often easily see roofing jobs from a drive-by. As such, this is one of the places you’ll want to pay strict attention to following the rules and regulations. Do this, and you can avoid getting fined. It also helps keep your job site safer. You don’t want anyone getting hurt, and these rules really do protect workers from injuries—and you from lawsuits and higher insurance premiums.
When studying how to pass an OSHA inspection, ladders really matter. Ladder violations often seem like candy to an OSHA inspector—at least based on how many citations we see issued. It comes up as #6 on the top ten OSHA citations list.
When using ladders to get on a roof, make sure they are properly angled. Ladders also must extend 3 feet past the edge of a roof or platform. Also, ensure that the ladder stays completely stable on the ground. With the plethora of good ladders and ladder accessories, there’s really no excuse for skimping in this area.
When using ladder jacks, make sure you aren’t doing so with any ladder over 20 feet tall. When using ladder jacks with a 10-foot or higher ladder, tie it off at its top point. And here’s another tip that is certain to bring the wrath of an OSHA inspector down on you: Don’t allow ladders or staging to sit within 10 feet of power lines. It doesn’t matter what material the ladder is made of, the rule still stands. You also don’t want an unused ladder standing up or otherwise in the way where it could be tripped over. Lay it down against a wall or put it back on the truck.
Another way to draw the ire, and investigative skills of an OSHA inspector, is to forgo hard harts and safety glasses. Don’t let your sub-contractors walk around a job site with overhead work without hard hats. Similarly, don’t cut and hammer without safety goggles. It makes you a magnet for the potential iron hot fury of OSHA. Eye and face protection again made their top-ten list for citations.
This one comes up as #3 on OSHA’s list. When using scaffolding, you need to ensure that you set it up correctly and use planking. Make sure your subcontractors don’t use the bracing when ascending the scaffold. Pump staging also requires guard rails and ends. If you have a hole in the floor or are working on unfinished porches, stairs or landings, you need to put up guard rails and toe boards. If there are skylights on a roofing job, you need to cover them up as well.
Is this everything? No, but it’s a good start and hits upon many of the major issues OSHA is cruising about for on a job site. Preparation goes a long way towards knowing how to pass an OSHA inspection. If you adhere to these rules you’ll be in pretty good shape for an OSHA inspection.
If you think there’s something major we missed, leave a comment below.
When he's not playing with the latest power tool, Clint DeBoer enjoys life as a husband, father, and avid reader—especially the Bible. He loves Jesus, has a degree in recording engineering, and has been involved in multimedia and/or online publishing in one form or another since 1992.
Clint’s career has covered nearly the entire realm of audio and video production. After graduating at the top of his class with an Associates Degree in Recording Engineering, he began working for the famed Soundelux studios in 1994, one of the largest post-production companies specializing in audio for feature films & television. Working on a myriad of feature films, Clint honed his skills as a dialogue editor, foley editor, and sound designer. Years later, he moved into the expanding area of video editing, where he served as the company’s senior AVID video editor for three years.
Working for such clients as Universal Pictures, Hollywood Pictures, Paramount Home Entertainment, NASA, Universal Studios, Planet Hollywood, SEGA, NASCAR, and others, Clint DeBoer dealt extensively with client management as well as film & video editing, color correction, and digital video & MPEG compression. He also carries several THX certifications (Technician I and II, THX Video), and is ISF Level II Certified.
After founding the CD Media, Inc. publishing company in 1996, he went on to help start or grow several successful online publications, including Audioholics (as Editor-in-Chief for 12 years), Audiogurus, and AV Gadgets. In 2008, Clint founded Pro Tool Reviews followed by the landscape and outdoor power equipment-focused OPE Reviews in 2017. He also heads up the Pro Tool Innovation Awards, an annual awards program honoring innovative tools and accessories across the trades.
Crediting God and his excellent staff for the success of what is now the largest power tool review publication in the industry, Clint DeBoer hopes to see continued growth for the company as it rapidly expands its reach. Pro Tool Reviews critically reviews hundreds of hand tools, power tools, and accessories each year to help inform users about the best and newest products in the industry. Reaching everyone from the construction industry professional and tradesman to the serious DIYer, Pro Tool Reviews helps tool consumers shop better, work smarter, and stay aware of what tools and products can help put them at the top of their game.
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Professional Tool Reviews for Pros