In 2015, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) on-site consultation program helped 27,871 small and medium-sized businesses to identify and fix hazards. Most (87 percent) of the consultations took place at businesses with 100 or fewer employees, many of whom otherwise lacked the resources to employ their own on-site safety professional. More than 140,000 total hazards were addressed, and an estimated 3.5 million workers protected from possible injury, illness or death.
The consultation program is free to employers and separate from OSHA’s inspection efforts. Identified hazards are confidential and are not reported to OSHA inspection staff. Citations and penalties are not issued, though employers are obligated to correct serious safety and health hazards that are brought to their attention.
Should your business make use of this program? Ask yourself the following questions:
Do I want to learn more about workplace safety?
If you do, the OSHA on-site consultation program is for you. A well trained professional consultant will tour your workplace and assist you in recognizing and removing hazards that could cause injury or illness to your workers. He or she can also provide insight into how you can create a culture of safety within your workforce, encouraging your employees to take proactive responsibility for their own safety and that of the worksite as a whole.
Do I want to reduce accident and injury-related business costs?
A well thought out and executed workplace injury and illness prevention program will help you reduce your company’s illness and injury rates, decrease workers’ compensation costs and lost workdays, and limit associated equipment damage and production losses.
If you’re like most employers, you answered “yes” to both questions. When you’re ready to schedule an appointment with an OSHA on-site consultant, visit the Consultation Directory. Once you’re identified your state’s consultation project office, you can call or email to get the process started. Priority is given to companies in to high-hazard industries such as manufacturing and construction.
What to Expect from Your Consultation
During your consultation, the OSHA consultant will examine the conditions in your workplace and interact with your employees while looking for potential injury and illness hazards. He or she will help you understand applicable OSHA standards as well as other risks that may not be cited under OSHA standards but still pose a danger to employees. The consultant will also appraise your present injury and illness prevention program or advise you in the creation of one. You’ll receive a written report detailing recommendations and agreements and can request additional training and assistance to help you implement them.
Want to learn more about workplace safety? Our team can help you create a workplace safety plan or improve upon a program you already have in place. Give us a call today to request additional information or assistance.
