Keep in the know on OSHA: reward employees who follow safety incentives as a way to promote safety in the workplace.

• Author: Myers, Deborah J.

Since the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA has been the organization overseeing America's workplaces to ensure their safety for employees. Naturally, many work environments are by their nature hazardous, but in most cases, reasonable precautions make them as safe as possible. It's the job of OSHA administrators to enforce safety regulations. It's your job as an employer to comply with OSHA standards.

Although compliance may seem an overwhelming task at times, with a few simple steps, any company can be on its way to a safer workplace. Whether you need to crack down on safety procedures that have gone lax, or you are starting a new business, OSHA regulations are in place for your--and your employees'--benefit.

EDUCATE yourself on what OSHA requires for your industry. Ira Doty, operations manager for AGC Safety Inc., advises employers to frequently visit OSHA's official Web site, www.osha.gov, to keep up-to-date on ever-changing OSHA regulations.

That's where Doty read about new fall protection standards, which include orthostatic intolerance. For example, if a window washer using a harness were to fall from the scaffold, that employee could suffer suspended trauma from the harness cutting off his circulation if help does not come right away.

Orthostatic intolerance also can involve employment such as security guards who stand in one place a prolonged period of time or receptionists who sit for hours at a time. Allowing and encouraging employees to take sufficient breaks to change position can help you avoid these pitfalls.

OSHA also reports on their top violations, which may help you avoid the most common ones. For example, scaffolding requirements (standard 1926.451) were most common in 2005 with 8,891 reported instances, followed by 7,267 hazard communication violations (standard 1910.1200), 6,122 fall protection violations (standard 1926.501), and 4,278 respiratory protection violations (standard 1910.34).

Industry-specific trade publications, seminars and Web sites also can shed light on areas where your company needs to improve its safety. Sign up for OSHA seminars, workshops and newsletters for tips on how to implement OSHA requirements at your workplace and for leads on resources to help you improve your company's safety.

Read the safety section of manuals that come with equipment that your employees use. You may be ignoring safety features or hazards that could lead to injury or illness. Make sure that the companies...