Did you know the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) offers free onsite consultations to small businesses? The onsite consultations are free and confidential and can help employers avoid potential workplace illnesses or injuries and reduce workers’ compensation claims which will help keep premiums low.
What Happens During an On-Site Consultation?
An onsite consultation visit is a confidential, no-cost consultation with a safety and health professional who will help you find and fix hazards, develop safety and health programs, and train your workers. The only obligation is to correct unsafe or unhealthy working conditions within a reasonable time period.
Together, the employer, worker representative, and consultant walk through the business and look for existing and potential hazards. The consultant can also review your safety and health management program.
The consultant will review their findings in detail with you and the worker representative in a closing conference. You will learn what improvements are needed, as well as what you are doing right, cost considerations, and how to keep making progress. After the consultant leaves, you will receive a detailed written report summarizing the visit and confirming what needs to be fixed.
When a situation is determined to be a “serious” hazard, the consultant will help you develop a plan to correct the hazard within a reasonable period and protect your workers in the meantime.
Next Steps for Employers
Small business employers interested in a no-cost, confidential consultation may schedule a consultation by visiting www.osha.gov or calling 1-800-321- OSHA (6742).
