How to Prepare Management for an OSHA Inspection

Federal and state Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) agencies conduct an average of 1,000 work-site inspections per week. Inspections can occur for various reasons. Reports of imminent danger, fatalities, catastrophic events or employee complaints receive the highest priority. OSHA also conducts programmed inspections in industries that have a high likelihood of significant hazards. Planning and preparation allows the work site to be in control of the visit, create a positive impression and reduce potential violations.

Things You'll Need

• OSHA Form 300 records
• OSHA standards
• Safety resource manual
• Safety compliance plans
• Pre-inspection checklist
• Safety training records

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Instructions

• 1

  Meet with the core management team. No safety and health program is successful without the commitment and involvement of those in charge. Ideally, all management should attend. OSHA has the right to inspect any part of the work site. At a minimum, the health and safety specialist, environmental compliance officer, safety committee chairman and all training personnel should attend. For small companies, management in charge of these areas of responsibility should attend.

• 2

  Review what to expect during a typical OSHA inspection. All OSHA inspections follow a general pattern: compliance officer arrival and introduction, opening conference, facility walk through, employee interviews, posting and record-keeping review and closing conference. OSHA provides inspection information on its website for companies to review. Familiarity with each part of the inspection will ensure management is prepared to respond to requests effectively.

• 3

  Review known workplace hazards and previous accidents. Anticipating safety issues ensures management is prepared to respond to questions and demonstrates a proactive approach to inspectors. Review OSHA Form 300 data from the past three years and identify problem areas or recurring incidents. Use OSHA standards, safety compliance plans and safety manual procedures to understand why the incidents occurred, if regulations were violated and what process changes are needed prior to inspection. Management personnel should review their employee's training records to ensure all training is in compliance.

• 4

  Assign each manager an area of responsibility. Designate tasks for each member of the management team relating to their area of knowledge. Pre-inspection tasks include records review, procedure and compliance plan updates, training material development and site assessments to identify workplace hazards and unsafe work practices. Managers can develop their own checklist to track progress or use the sample checklist in the "Small Business Handbook" available on OSHA's website. Designate a management team member as an escort for the OSHA inspector, and as a photographer and scribe for the inspection process.

• 5

  Establish a preferred inspection route. OSHA inspectors have the right to tour any area of the workplace. Establishing a preferred inspection route allows management team members to have some control over what the inspector observes and how information is conveyed. It also allows managers to quickly tour the areas and make last-minute improvements once the inspector is on site.

• 6

  Set a date for follow-up discussion. Determine a reasonable amount of time for managers to complete assigned pre-inspection tasks or assess areas of responsibility and schedule a progress report. This provides managers an opportunity to share observations and develop a plan to maintain readiness.