Rules + Regs

OSHA issues response regarding fraudulent training cards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a statement in response to a New Jersey safety trainer's guilty plea of selling more than 100 fraudulent training cards, according to www.osha.gov.

In the statement, OSHA Regional Administrator Richard Mendelson said: "OSHA's outreach training serves to educate workers about safety issues they will encounter on the jobsite. Falsifying documents not only undermines the program, it fails to protect workers on the job. OSHA will refer fraudulent activity to the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, and trainers caught falsifying information will be subject to criminal prosecution."

OSHA's Outreach Training Program trains workers regarding the recognition, avoidance, abatement and prevention of workplace hazards. The voluntary program also provides information about workers' rights, employer responsibilities and how to file a complaint.

Employers are reminded to post a copy of OSHA Form 300A

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reminds employers of their obligation to post a copy of OSHA Form 300A that summarizes job-related injuries and illnesses logged during 2018.

Each year, between Feb. 1 and April 30, the summary must be displayed in a common area where notices to employees typically are posted. Businesses with 10 or fewer employees or those in certain low-hazard industries are exempt from OSHA record-keeping and posting requirements.

OSHA offers interim compliance guidance for evaluating crane operators

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued enforcement guidance regarding the requirements for evaluating crane operators, according to www.osha.gov.

On Nov. 8, 2018, OSHA published the "Cranes and Derricks in Construction: Operator Qualifications" final rule that requires employers to evaluate their crane operators before allowing them to operate independently. The final rule took effect Feb. 7; however, until April 15, OSHA is offering compliance assistance—instead of enforcement—for employers that have evaluated operators in accordance with the final rule and are making good faith efforts to comply with the new documentation requirement.

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