Ask OSHA for Help?
 
March 1, 2000
 

Are you aware of any OSHA violations at your workplace? Should you ask OSHA to help you discover them? The answer may surprise you. Asking OSHA's assistance in discovering and removing hazards from your workplace, through their Consultation Services, may be an economical and effective way to provide a safe workplace and to gain confidence you are not at risk of violations the next time an OSHA inspector shows up at your door.

The Consultation Service allows an employer to request a no-cost, confidential review of their workplace by an OSHA safety expert. The review helps identify areas which do not comply with OSHA regulations and which may expose the employer to a citation under an OSHA inspection. The Consultant cannot write citations. The use of this OSHA Service may also qualify the employer for a one-year exemption from routine enforcement inspections. The Service is wholly voluntary. The employer can also define the scope of the services. The only possible exceptions to confidentiality are if an imminent danger or serious violation is discovered, but, even then, the employer can correct the problem without being cited.