What To Do If OSHA Comes Knocking On Your Door

 

In order to enforce its standards OSHA is authorized under the Act to conduct workplace inspections. Every establishment covered by the Act is subject to inspection by OSHA compliance safety and health officers, who are chosen for their knowledge and experience in the occupational safety and health field. Compliance officers are vigorously trained in OSHA standards and in recognition of safety and health hazards. Similarly, states with their own occupational safety and health programs conduct inspections using qualified compliance safety and health officers.

 

Here just a few of the many things you should do if an OSHA inspector comes knocking on your door:

  • Make every effort to let the inspector in. They are not required to give advance notice and frown on organizations who do not cooperate.
  • Verify the inspector’s credentials. Each OSHA compliance officer carries U.S. Department of Labor credentials bearing his or her photograph and a serial number that can be verified by phoning the nearest OSHA office.  
  • Immediately have ready your OSHA log, safety plan, safety team structure, inspection records, and other safety records for review.
  • Cooperate with the OSHA compliance officer by furnishing names of authorized employee representatives who may be asked to accompany the compliance officer during an inspection.
  • Attend and actively participate in all meetings with the OSHA inspector.
  • If the inspection is caused by an employee complaint, which is the case the vast majority of the time, ask for a copy and read if very carefully.
  • Permit the inspector to ask questions of any employees as they see fit throughout the facility inspection.
  • Make every effort to correct any minor violations immediately and in the presence of the OSHA inspector.
  • During the closing conference produce records to show compliance efforts and to provide information which can help OSHA determine how much time may be needed to abate an alleged violation.
  • View violations learning experience and where more work is needed to make your facility safe from injuries.
  • Where possible, have the highest management official attend both the opening conference and the closing conference so as to reinforce your organization’s commitment to safety.

Always remember, if you have done your homework and have built a foundation for a solid safety program within your facility the OSHA inspector will immediately see this. It will be obvious from your interest and commitment as well as the responses from your employees. While you may still receive minor violations, this perception will go a long way towards from and fair abatement.

 

CompEraser’s provides a host of resources to comply with OSHA regulations.  It also includes valuable resources to help you formalize your safety team, implement effective injury prevention strategies, safety training toolkits, prompt injury response and workers compensation disability management resources, plus more. These resources are available 24/7 and used irrespective of which workers compensation carrier you select. Its patent-pending technology also provides unique financial reports for monitoring the effectiveness of your safety and health program on an on-going basis. For more information visit our website at www.CompEraser.com