Members of the Comp Alliance are likely affected by all these categories to some degree, depending on a department’s operations. There are several solutions to controlling the hazards associated with the following safety violations.

#1 Fall Protection – General Requirements

Many might think this relates to falls from significant heights, such as a roof. However, the standard protections are from any fall greater than four feet in height for general industry, which includes municipal operations. This may look like falls from loading docks, storage lofts, overhead storage, runways, or similar work locations. Fall prevention includes the installation of a guard rail 42 to 45 inches in height with a mid-rail installed at 21 to 23 inches and a toe-board around every elevated open platform, floor, or runway. Other means of fall protection that may be required for certain jobs include safety harnesses and lines, safety nets, stair railings, and handrails, all of which must be properly maintained.

#2 Hazard Communication

Every municipal employee is required to attend Right-to-Know training annually. It is offered by the Comp Alliance Risk Management department via three methods: in-person, virtual, and recorded through the Comp Academy. The OSHA standard for working with hazardous chemicals is Hazard Communication, while the NYS version is referred to as Right-to-Know. The standards are similar and require proper chemical labeling and maintaining Safety Data Sheets (SDS). Any failure of these would be a reported violation.

#3 Respiratory Protection

When an employee can breathe in air contaminated with harmful dust, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors, the primary objective is to prevent atmospheric contamination. When such protections cannot eliminate the risk, appropriate respirators should be utilized. An applicable and suitable respirator shall be provided to each employee when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of such employee. Fit testing is required for the employee on applicable respirators.

#4 Ladders

The violations associated with ladders include an excess load, failure of the rungs, cleats, and steps, failure to utilize the locking bars, inappropriate use, the ladder not being tied off, improper installation, and failure to maintain the three points of contact. All of these are hazardous uses of a ladder and are correctable when users follow general safety practices. For more information about safe ladder use, read the May 2022 Comp Alliance Safety Bulletin.

#5 Scaffolding

Although not frequent for our members, if scaffolding must be erected by a municipality the rules associated with this OSHA standard must be followed. Violations include unsafe installation, overloading, and installation during high-wind conditions.

#6 Lockout/Tagout

The Comp Alliance Risk Management department has developed a training program to help our members become compliant with this standard. Keys for compliance include training for all applicable staff, use of durable tagout devices, and use of designated lockout devices.

Lockout devices must be unique to the Lockout/Tagout operation and not used for any other purpose. Authorized and affected employees must know lockout procedures for various equipment within the applicable department.

#7 Powered Industrial Trucks

This standard has changed more recently but the general rules remain that operators must display a general knowledge of how to safely handle the forklift. Violations include issues with safeguards, fuel handling, battery charging and storage, and unsafe operation.

#8 Fall Protection – Training Requirements

This is the only violation on the list specifically related to a training requirement. Falls from heights lead to several very serious workplace injuries. Training staff on proper fall protection safeguards is a necessary preventative measure for these types of incidents. It is important to provide training again when workers fail to display knowledge of the safety standards in place.

#9 Personal Protective and Life Safety Equipment – Eye and Face Protection

Throughout our 29 years as a workers’ compensation risk management program, we have emphasized the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to safeguard employees from hazardous operations. Workplace hazards known to have the potential to lead to a face or eye injury must be identified to applicable work staff and appropriate PPE made available to reduce the risk of injury. This includes exposure to chemical, environmental, radiological, or mechanical irritants and hazards. Eye and face protection systems can include PPE such as safety glasses, safety goggles, and face shields. Beyond that, include proper machine guarding and debris protection systems.

#10 Machine Guarding

Machine guarding can protect employees from flying debris and pinch, crush, and shear points. When a machine has exposed moving parts that employees could potentially come in contact with, machine guards must be installed. During a recent loss control inspection, a horizontal band saw was observed to be missing the guard over the belt drive. This exposes operators to a potential injury from a dislodged or failed belt, and a potential shear from contact with the moving belt. Properly guarding the belt drive would eliminate both hazards to the employee. It is best to utilize a manufacturer-approved guard system but when one is not available, the fabrication of a proper guard system may be necessary. Equipment should be taken out-of-service whenever machine guarding is missing or broken.

With some persistence, hard work, and knowledge of operations, the ten most frequent safety violations can be controlled enough to greatly reduce or even eliminate workplace injuries associated with them. A guiding factor behind these violations is staff training, which is perhaps the most vital part of any industry safety process and has the greatest impact on preventing injuries in the workplace. Let’s do our best to correct these deficiencies to create a safe workplace.

Protecting Members By Preventing Fraud

The Comp Alliance takes matters of fraud seriously. Our claims team investigates tips thoroughly and prioritizes protecting our members. In a recent case, a person made 29 different workers' compensation claims to different employers regarding various injuries. During the hearing, the claimant admitted they were never an employee of the municipality they filed the claim against. They also admitted they filed the claims due to matters unrelated to employment. As a result, the judge disallowed the claim and penalized this person under Section 114-a(3). If you believe that an employee is intentionally misrepresenting or is helping someone else misrepresent an injury, reach out to the Comp Alliance.

Welcoming New Employees

Lamar Watson - Marketing Representative

We are excited to welcome Lamar, who joined the Comp Alliance team at the end of March! He comes to us with several years of experience in workers' compensation insurance for public entities.

Zachary Diaz - Underwriting Assistant

Please welcome Zach to the Comp Alliance! Zach joined us this spring and supports the Underwriting team, helping to ensure financial stability for our members.

Haley Kastler - Digital Marketing Coordinator

Haley joined the Marketing team in February with experience in digital media including Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and more. She keeps our members informed through safety content shared on social media and our website!

Upcoming Training Seminars

There are several live video conference trainings scheduled for members throughout July, August, and September. We'll cover PESH-mandated topics including Workplace Violence, Right-to-Know, and Bloodborne Pathogens. Check our calendar to view training dates through the end of the year.

Upcoming Virtual Trainings

• Monday, 7/31: 10 AM - 12 PM
• Monday, 8/7: 10 AM - 12 PM
• Friday, 8/11: 10 AM - 12 PM
• Monday, 8/14: 10 AM - 12 PM
• Wednesday, 8/16: 10 AM - 12 PM
• Monday, 8/21: 10 AM - 12 PM
• Wednesday, 8/23: 5 PM - 7 PM
• Thursday, 8/24: 1 PM - 3 PM

HAZWOPER Training

Monday, 8/14: 8:00 - 8:30 AM

Welcoming New Members

Chenango Forks CSD

City of Dunkirk

City of Olean

Commack UFSD

Deposit CSD

Great Neck Park District

Horseheads CSD

Jordan Elbridge CSD

Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District

Sauquoit Valley CSD

Skaneateles CSD

Town of Carrollton

Town of Glenville

Town of Henrietta

Town of Indian Lake

Village of Angola

Village of Elmira Heights

Village of Pleasantville

Village of Tuckahoe

Village of Voorheesville