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Health and Safety Inspections

The employees covered under the Occupational Safety and Health Act can expect their employers to provide a safe and healthy working environment. To ensure that, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), the governing agency, sends health and safety inspectors out to inspect the workplace. Those employers who violate any of OSHA's health and safety regulations can be cited and have to pay penalties.

  1. OSHA History

    • OSHA was established in 1971 to help prevent occupational illnesses, injuries and deaths. Since OSHA was created, occupational injuries have been cut by 42 percent and the number of occupational deaths by 62 percent.

    Health And Safety Inspectors

    • OSHA's budget, which determines the amount of staff OSHA has, varies yearly, along with the number of health and safety inspectors that OSHA can employ. OSHA has a very large staff of over 2,000 people, which includes over 1,000 inspectors. Each year OSHA conducts over 35,000 inspections. In addition, 26 states run their own health and safety programs and conduct their own inspections.

    Inspections

    • OSHA has the right to enter the workplace to conduct a health and safety inspection. An inspector can also enter the workplace if a health and safety complaint has been issued against an employer. An employer does have the right to demand that an inspector has an actual warrant to inspect the workplace, but once an inspector gives the employer the warrant, the employer must submit to the inspection.

    Health and Safety Inspection Warnings

    • Those businesses and employees who are cited by health and safety inspectors during an inspection must be warned of the consequences. Some citations come with a warning from OSHA that gives the employer a specific time frame to fix the health or safety issue.

      An inspector can also fine an employer for occupational health and safety violations. The amount of fines or penalties range from $0 to $70,000, and depend on how seriously an employee can be harmed as a result of the safety violation.

    Health And Safety Notification

    • Employers must provide proper notification to employees of all health and safety rules and rights. An employer may do this by posting a sign or poster in the workplace. An employer must also provide an employee with his own personal copy of his health and safety rights upon his request. Employers can obtain posters and copies of employees' health and safety rights through OSHA's publication office.

    Misconceptions

    • It is a misconception that after a health and safety inspection is conducted, the employer does not have the right to dispute the report handed down by the inspector. If an inspector cites an employer for a health and safety violation, the employer has the right to dispute the citation within 15 working days of being issued the citation. An employer wanting to dispute the citation must do so through the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

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