Play Ball! Words heard across North America the past few weeks as a herald of spring.
On April 1, 2014 an article detailed events of OSHA inspectors at Major League Baseball parks.
Before, during, and after Monday’s slate of games, agency inspectors popped up in locker rooms, dugouts, batting cages, bullpens and other spots to scrutinize workplace safety practices – and in many cases doled out fines and citations for serious safety lapses.
“It’s way past time for America’s favorite pastime to get serious about safety and health hazards,” OSHA Administrator Dr. David Michaels said. “Highly paid professional athletes have the same rights and protections that the rest of the workforce does.”
Here are a couple of the citations and fines:
- At Comerica Park in Detroit, an OSHA inspector ordered both teams to vacate their dugouts, explaining that the dugouts are permit-required confined spaces. The inspector issued $143,200 in fines for nine serious violations, most of which stemmed from the ballpark’s failure to develop and implement a confined-space entry program and provide confined-space training, warning signs and retrieval systems for the players.
- At PNC Park in Pittsburgh, a compliance officer cited the Pirates for several willful violations after observing the Parrot dancing on the roof of the home team’s dugout. OSHA is proposing $67,200 in fines for failing to provide and ensure the use of fall protection such as guardrails and personal fall-arrest systems for the mascot and other stadium employees.
For more amusing April Fool's Day examples check out the entire article.
As constructions sites in states that have been beleaguered by a cold and snowy winter are coming alive it's good to remember that you can have fun while still being serious about safety. Just like us.
**Thanks to the friend who shared this story in EHS Today with us. If you have something you think we should blog about, shoot us an email.