Remember, OSHA’s primary goal is to correct hazards and maintain compliance, not to issue citations and collect penalties, so you may find that they’ll work with you in these instances. If your employer is covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, you have the right to request an OSHA inspection. Several scenarios may trigger an investigation. During this closing conference, the compliance officer will discuss some follow-up actions for the employer to take after the inspection. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Discrepancies that are corrected on the spot will be recorded to be used in "good faith" determinations when assessing penalties. When an OSHA compliance officer shows up at your door to announce an inspection, you have the right to do two things. The inspector may point out unsafe or unhealthy work conditions during the walk through and may offer technical advice on how to eliminate hazards. In most cases the employer is given a heads up that an OSHA/IOSHA inspector has come on site with the intent of a work site inspection during this initial meeting with the construction site manager (either a Construction Manager, General Contractor or prime contractor that has control of work activities. During the Opening Conference, the CSHO will explain why they are initiating an inspection (complaint, referral, special emphasis program, whatever the case might be) and describe how the process works and generally what they should expect throughout the course of the inspection. An authorized representative of the employees also has the right to go along during the walkaround. Cornell has 15 working days after receipt to file an intention to contest OSHA citations before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The compliance officer will explain why the job, site, or organization was selected for inspection. OSHA cannot: conduct a warrantless inspection without consent from the employer. OSHA’s policy when settling penalties is to try to reduce penalties for smaller employers and employers who demonstrate good faith in trying to comply and create a safer workplace. Employers may also want to establish when and where any necessary interviews will take place with employees. The agency and the employer may work out a settlement agreement to resolve the dispute and to eliminate the hazard. Jeff frequently writes for magazines related to safety, safety training, and training and frequently speaks at conferences on the same issues, including the Washington Governor's Safety and Health Conference, the Oregon Governor's Occupational Safety and Health Conference, the Wisconsin Safety Conference, the MSHA Training Resources Applied to Mining (TRAM) Conference, and others. What happens during an OSHA inspection? Occupational Safety and Health Inspection. A well-versed representative is also … If citations and/or penalties have been issued as a result of the OSHA inspection, the employer is offered an opportunity for an informal conference with the OSHA Area Director. During the opening conference, the OSHA compliance officer will explain why your workplace is being inspected and will explain what will happen during the inspection, including walkaround procedures, employee representation, and employee interviews. Specifically, OSHA expressed its belief that employees at a non-union worksite may authorize a third party affiliated with a union or community organization to act as the employees’ representative during an inspection. An authorized representative of the employees also has the ri… See this OSHA website on OSHA Onsite Consultations for this on this, and watch for a future article on this topic here as well. As a result, in this article we’re going to explain what typically happens during an OSHA inspection. During the opening conference, the OSHA compliance officer will explain why your workplace is being inspected and will explain what will happen during the inspection, including walkaround procedures, employee representation, and employee interviews. Know the phases of an OSHA inspection. You should insist upon seeing the officers U.S. Department of Labor credentials that will have a photograph and serial number that can be verified by calling the Syracuse OSHA office. Even if uncertain of the overall safety of the organization, it’s advisable to let the inspector continue as scheduled. It should remain there for three days or until the violation is abated, whichever is longer. After the walk around, the OSHA compliance officer will wrap things up in a closing conference with both the employer and the employer representative to explain his or her findings. When arriving at the on-site inspection, the OSHA compliance officers will display their credentials to the employer and explain why the inspection is taking place and the scope of the entire inspection. The comments concerning the inspectors credentials are particularly important in general industry inspections and should always be checked. Your OSHA inspection will begin with an opening conference. During the inspection itself, the OSHA compliance officer will consult privately with a number of employees, whether the compliance officer is accompanied by an authorized representative of the employees or not. 10 Hazards OSHA Inspectors Commonly Look For, Online Safety and Health Training Courses, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, 6 OSHA Compliance Requirements Nearly All General Industry Organizations Face, 9 Additional OSHA General Industry Compliance Requirements Your Company May Face, 5 More OSHA General Industry Compliance Requirements Your Company Probably Must Attend To, OSHA 511, Occupational Safety and Health Standards for General Industry, Offered by University of Washington, Effective EHS Training: A Step-by-Step Guide, Online Safety Training Buyer's Guide Checklist, Online Contractor Orientation Buyers Guide, Learning Management System (LMS) Buyer's Guide, In cases of imminent danger, with the hope that management will fix the condition immediately, When the inspection must occur after regular business hours or when special preparations are required, If it’s not likely that management and worker representatives will be on-site during the inspection unless advance notice is given, If there are other circumstances that cause the OSHA Area Director to think advance notification would lead to a more complete inspection (such as in the event of a fatality investigation). 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