Reading OSHA’s citation to TSA at Boston Logan is a good reminder that OSHA regulations cover a wide area of factors that could cause potential injury to employees.
While much attention is often focused on preventing catastrophic injuries – such as being run over by a vehicle or hit by a propeller – the more common and frequent injuries to workers are caused by more mundane events. For example, many more workers are injured in slips and falls – whether on the ground or from ladders – than from being hit by vehicles or propellers.
These accidents, while often less severe, can still cause injury, and sometimes significant injury or death, to employees.
According to OSHA’s press release, it identified several instances:
- TSA employees at Logan were exposed to finger crushing and amputation hazards from unguarded nip points on baggage conveyors in inspection rooms where TSA employees work; electrical hazards from misused electrical equipment at checkpoints and inspection rooms; and fire-related hazards from unsecured fire extinguishers where TSA employees work as well as improper storage of flammable materials.
- TSA employees were also exposed to fall hazards from defective or deficient ladders; slip, trip and fall hazards from unsecured floor mats; lack of protective clothes and eyewashes for employees handling corrosive liquids; an inadequately marked exit route; and aisles that were too narrow.
OSHA’s complete citation to TSA is attached here and well worth reading as a reminder of some of the seemingly small details that are prescribed by law and intended to protect workers. Federal agencies are required to comply with the same OSHA standards as private employers.
