Respiratory Protection Again Makes the OSHA List of Top 10 Citations and Ways to Protect Workers in Puerto Rico from Airborne Hazards

Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its preliminary list of the agency’s ten most frequently cited safety and health violations for the 2019 fiscal year. The list represents tens of thousands of workplace inspections conducted by federal OSHA staff throughout the country.
 
Again this year, one of the top ten cited violations involves respiratory protection, making the list as the 5^th most common citation. Respirators and the protection they provide in so many occupations is essential for protecting workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors and sprays. This is critical as exposure to many substances and chemicals in the work environment are known to cause cancer, lung impairment, asthma, allergies, and other respiratory diseases and conditions. In extreme cases, exposure could cause death in some circumstances.
 
“There are millions of workers that OSHA reports are required to wear respirators in the United States,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “This includes many found in Puerto Rico and throughout the region. Not only do respirators protect workers, they are required by law in many instances. Companies that fail to protect against respiratory hazards not only endanger their employees, they are also subject to costly citations that are all too common as represented by the fact that respiratory protection made the OSHA Top 10 list yet again.”
 
Dedicated to protecting workers across Puerto Rico and the Caribbean are the air quality and industrial hygiene professionals at Zimmetry Environmental. Their expert staff offer testing, monitoring and consulting services to identify, mitigate and eliminate respiratory hazards. Zimmetry also recently sponsored an educational video about OSHA’s preliminary Top 10 list of citations for 2019 that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/s_kJ9jzKGRo
 
To learn more about Zimmetry Environmental and air testing or other indoor environmental quality, occupational, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America. The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.
 

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail