OSHA revises its National Emphasis Program on amputations.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently revised its directive on the National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Amputations to identify and reduce workplace machinery and equipment hazards which cause or are likely to cause amputations. According to OSHA, the failure to properly apply machine guarding techniques and to adequately control associated energy hazards during servicing and/or maintenance activities are the primary causes of amputations.

Changes to the NEP include identification of industries and establishments associated with amputations rather than the equipment; lists of typical machinery and equipment associated with amputations; and new targeting methodology based on more current data from OSHA and Bureau of Labor Statistics sources.

The revised directive identifies the top 40 industries with high amputation rates, which includes steel metalcasting facilities (SIC 3325). In the list of the typical machinery and equipment associated with amputations, OSHA targets casting machinery, power presses, saws, drills and conveyors.

This national program has been in effect since 2002. The 24 states and two territories which operate their own OSHA programs are encouraged, but not required, to adopt a similar emphasis program.

To review OSHA's revised NEP on Amputations, go to http.//www.osha.gov/pls/ oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_ table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=3469.