Having an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection can elicit tremendous fear among rental operators because the fine for a first-time violation can set you back $13,653 and grow exponentially, depending upon the number of violations found. So, what can rental operators do to make sure they are in compliance and prepared for an inspector to arrive on site?
That was the exact question addressed by Kevin Gern, American Rental Association (ARA) director of safety, during the ARA of Arizona’s April 7 online educational session, “OSHA’s at your door. Are you ready?”
The session proved to be a combination wake-up call and refresher for those who attended.
The eye-opener for Mark Krook, branch manager, A to Z Equipment Rentals & Sales, Paradise Valley, Ariz., was that a rental operation could be in violation if it has the wrong kind of coffee maker on the premises such as one you would purchase for home use.
“I had no idea that coffee makers have to be of a commercial nature if they are in a business. That was the first time I had heard that,” he says.
Krook was glad that Gern outlined the importance of being proactive in preparation for an OSHA visit.
“I know about a lot of different OSHA regulations. I have been in the industry for 36 years. I worked for a company on the East Coast for almost 30 years. I have seen firsthand the safety issues we ran into on the East Coast. OSHA has a very strong base there. My radar always has been elevated because OSHA always has been around me. When I came out to Arizona, OSHA didn’t seem to be as heavily involved here. I liked how Kevin confirmed that OSHA could be coming to our door and that we need to be prepared. It reassured me that what I am doing at the store level is prudent and important, such as getting the fire extinguishers certified, getting certain lighting done and getting other things taken care of. OSHA inspectors are coming and will be looking at what we are doing to stay in compliance,” he says.
Ginia Olsen-Lucas, owner/general manager, Festive Events & Rentals, Tempe, Ariz., who serves as the ARA of Arizona president, had thought she was doing well compliance-wise because she passed all the inspections from her fire marshal.
“It’s funny. I am used to seeing the fire marshal once or twice a year. When the fire marshal has gone through our operation, he only made us put in a special kind of surge protector. It sounds to me like OSHA would not accept those things. I have never seen anyone from OSHA yet, but I realize it could happen at any time. I thought what I was seeing from the fire marshal would be enough, but it is not necessarily the same thing. The fire marshal is looking for more fire hazards vs. safety factors. After listening to Kevin’s presentation, I have a different perspective and realize that learning about these things ahead of time is so valuable,” she says.
Olsen-Lucas took away important tips from the presentation. “I learned there are some things I don’t think about that I was surprised I needed to fix — little things like the coffee maker, some extension cord things and that I need to make sure all the outlets are covered. I also learned the importance of doing a walk-around of your operation. That is something I definitely will be implementing in the future. I received a lot of information on aspects that even the fire marshal seems to have missed,” she says.
Strongly agreeing is Angela Nussel, CERP, vice president, Premiere Events, Austin, Texas, who was invited to attend because she is thinking about having Gern address members of the Texas Rental Association, which she serves as immediate past president.
“I found his presentation to be extremely beneficial. It was important to see what you, as an employer, can do to not only be in compliance with OSHA but also keep your team safe and educated,” she says.
Nussel admits that in the event segment “many of us are under the false impression that OSHA won’t ever bother us, but we utilize a lot of equipment that could cause severe injury or death on job sites, particularly for tent installs. We operate with safety in mind but not always with OSHA in mind. After having attended this session, I plan to implement a formal, written safety policy that includes the things that Kevin mentioned, such as a safety checklist, internal inspections, etc.,” she says.
Krook also liked how Gern encouraged one or two staff members at an operation go through the OSHA 10-Hour or OSHA 30-Hour training courses. “Kevin thought it was a valid certificate to have. I have my OSHA 10 card,” he says.
All agreed the session was worth their time.
“Absolutely,” Krook says. “It was a really good refresher for me, and the new points that he pointed out — and the fact that he was willing to come and talk with us and go over stuff — all were great. ARA offers so many courses. It is a value to us, whether we are an owner or an employee. All I can say is, ‘When is the next class?’”
“Kevin offered very valuable information in such a concise amount of time,” Nussel adds. “This session reminded me that ARA members should utilize the training and safety that ARA has given us through RentalU, the safety meeting resources, etc. ARA has done a great job to give us the knowledge. I would encourage everyone to make the time to access it. I plan to present this course to my board so we can offer it to our members in Texas.”
The session made a distinct impact on Olsen-Lucas. “This is something that should be offered every year because we all need this refresher to make sure we stay in compliance,” she says.