How to Prepare for an OSHA Inspection

[Shalini]

An inspection by OSHA, whether announced or unannounced, can be a cause for much stress and concern. The stress is often caused by fear of the unknown and the implications to your enterprise from any violations. But does it have to be so?

Wouldn’t it be advantageous if you had a data-driven process with easy access to all key data that OSHA will need? What if your enterprise is proactive in its approach to health and safety, so that an OSHA inspection is just another day in the office?

The key here is simple. If you are well-prepared for an OSHA inspection anytime, there is no need to scramble for information right before an inspection. In this blog, we share a few best practices to help you prepare for an OSHA Inspection.
Nature of OSHA Inspections

In the United States, workplace safety is governed by “OSHA”, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor. It sets and enforces standards and also provides training, outreach, education and assistance. To ensure compliance, especially in high-hazard companies and industries, OSHA conducts programmed (or planned) and unprogrammed (or unplanned) inspections.

While programmed inspections are routinely conducted to ensure risk mitigation of employee and environmental safety, the unplanned inspections are triggered by accidents leading to death or severe injuries. Any complaint from employees can also cause an inspection to be conducted suddenly, without prior intimation.

OSHA has jurisdiction over approximately 8 million employers and 130 million workers, and only has about 2,000 inspectors. The good news is that unplanned inspections are rare and occur only when absolutely necessary due to the limited number of resources that OSHA has at its disposal. But the bad news is that if there is an unplanned visit, then there has been a deviation and you may be facing an action.