Nearly 4 out of 5 Department of Defense manufacturing or construction contractors inspected by OSHA or state agencies over a recent five-year period were cited for at least one safety or health violation, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

Researchers used federal data to examine previous safety and health violations of 192 selected companies with DoD contracts in fiscal year 2017, as well as how DoD and its components addressed contractor workplace safety and health during the acquisition process.

Of the 192 companies, 106 had been inspected by OSHA or state agencies between FYs 2013 and 2017. The inspections resulted in 83 being cited for at least one violation (78.3 percent) and 52 cited for at least one serious violation (49 percent). Three were cited for at least one repeat violation.

GAO concluded that OSHA “doesn’t collect data that could be used to match federal contracts with violations, so it’s not always possible to know whether the violations occurred on defense contracts. Also, oOD doesn’t always require contractors to be rated on safety.”

GAO made three recommendations to increase the use and availability of information regarding defense contract worker safety.

Keep reading this article at: https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/18144-gao-report-calls-for-enhanced-information-on-dod-contractors-safety-records