For the past eight years, the New River Resource Authority (NRRA) has invited VRSA Safety Specialist Edward Shelton to conduct site inspections and provide recommendations to ensure the authority is compliant with OSHA regulations. They use these reports to guide their safety improvements for the year.
This year, we joined Shelton on the inspection, during which he provided background information to NRRA staff on what VOSH inspectors may look for, citing the regulations, and providing information to help keep the members in compliance.
“Safety isn’t just something we do, it’s a lifestyle culture,” said NRRA Assistant Manager Brandon Atkins. “I try to carry that with me everyday whether it’s in the office or in the field. You kind of get blinders when it’s just you, and having an outside third-party perspective helps highlight the gaps.”
After each inspection, VRSA staff provide a report to the members listing items where remediation is recommended. Many times, the recommended remediation measure is easy and cost-effective. In one case, the fix for a hazard was as simple as a padlock.
“VOSH penalties are expensive, and fixes don’t have to be,” says Shelton. “People have the mentality that it’s going to cost too much. You are going to pay for it one way or another; an employee falls and has hundreds of thousands of dollars [in injuries] or a cheap lock.”
Interested in learning what a site inspection is like? Go along with Shelton as he tours various facilities at the authority in the video below.