www.propertycasualty360.com/2021/07/1…

Regardless of the industry, if hazardous chemicals are on a job site the chance for accidental release is present if they aren’t properly controlled, which lifts the possibility of a potential disaster.

To combat deaths and injuries from industrial accidents, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires businesses that deal with a volume of hazardous chemicals at or above a threshold, set by the administration, must develop a process safety management program that follows a list of requirements from OSHA.

“These 14 components are a list of smart things you have to do to make sure bad things don’t happen. They are simple things like having a written plan, a way to store and compile information and hazard analysis,” explains Jeff Muto, chief marketing and strategy officer for Veriforce, LLC. “One thing interesting to us; they specifically call out contract workers. That is where the market feels the most pain.”

Written provisions for contractor safety, per OSHA, include evaluating a contractor’s safety performance before starting a project. Once a contractor passes clearance requirements, the company is responsible to inform the contractor of potential risks and health hazards. The contractor then must relay that information to the contracted team and train them appropriately.

Fines are levied against companies that are found out of compliance with safety regulations, with the charges reaching as high as $130,000 for repeat or willful violations, according to Muto.