Kentucky Ag Connection - Cabinet Saves Companies $385,000 in Potential Fines

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Cabinet Saves Companies $385,000 in Potential Fines
Kentucky Ag Connection - 08/22/2017

Last month, the Labor Cabinet conducted 13 free on-site visits, or "consultative surveys," for employers across Kentucky. As a result of these surveys, employers corrected 55 serious violations that could have affected up to 701 employees and resulted in enforcement penalties of up to $385,000.

The Labor Cabinet's Division of Occupational Safety & Health Education & Training leads the Cabinet's proactive efforts to create safe and healthful workplace conditions. This includes providing free consultative surveys to employers in an effort to increase workplace safety by improving injury and illness rates. Employers who make use of the Division's consultative surveys do not face penalties unless violations are not corrected.

Employers and employees all across Kentucky and the nation also have access to cost-free safety and health eLearning programs on the Labor Cabinet's eTrain website. The Division also offers cost-free OSHA training courses, or "Population Center Training" throughout the state. Proactive approaches to workplace safety, like the ones developed by the Cabinet's education and training team, are proven methods that reduce workplace injuries and can help employers from paying increased workers' compensation premiums.

In addition to consultative surveys and OSHA training, cost-free assistance from the Division consists of publications, required workplace posters, and information on injury/illness recordkeeping requirements. The Division is also responsible for overseeing the Partnership Programs as well as conducting the Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and the OSHA Data Collection.

According to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Kentucky employers recorded the lowest incident rate for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in the state's history last year.

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