Under the new rule, repeat citations can be issued for incidents surrounding lockout/tagout, machine guarding, permit-required confined spaces, respiratory protection, falls, trenching and for cases with other-than-serious violations specific to recordkeeping.
OSHA’s rule change is designed to crack down on employers that continue to fail to address hazards, the agency said.
“This is intended to be a targeted strategy for those employers who repeatedly choose to put profits before their employees’ safety, health and wellbeing,” Doug Parker, assistant secretary for OSHA, said in the announcement. “Employers who callously view injured or sickened workers simply as a cost of doing business will face more serious consequences.”
