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Hearing you’ve got an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection coming up can feel incredibly nerve-wracking, even if you know the safety of your site is top-tier.
If you’ve got an OSHA inspection coming up, knowing the requirements you need to hit can help it run smoothly and not disrupt your business. There are a number of reasons why OSHA may be coming for a site visit, and you’ll rarely get a notice in advance, so it’s crucial to ensure best practices are followed at all times—whether you know that OSHA is visiting or not.
Why Has OSHA Chosen Your Business For Inspection?
OSHA can inspect any construction site at any time, and the visits may be completely random. However, there are a few ways that OSHA prioritises which companies or sites to visit. Here are some of the things that might make your site more likely to receive a visit.
- Imminent Danger: If there’s a high likelihood that a hazard could result in serious injury or death.
- Previous Catastrophic Accidents: If you have a history of catastrophic accidents or fatalities, you may be more likely to have an OSHA inspection of your site.
- Complaints: If you have a history of employee complaints or there are allegations of unsafe working conditions or safety violations from current or previous employees.
- Follow-Ups: If you’ve had an OSHA inspection and they’ve cited a violation, you will likely be subject to a follow-up inspection to ensure that the violations have been addressed and corrected.
What Are The Penalties For Committing An OSHA Violation?
Penalties for violations can be a huge cost for businesses as the fines range from a few thousand pounds to hundreds of thousands of pounds or even more, depending on the severity of the violation. The penalty you receive for violations is unique to your situation and can depend on a range of factors, including the severity, how cooperative you were, the size of the business and your history of violations.
No one wants to have their work halted or, worse, be thousands of pounds out of pocket, so minimising your risk of OSHA violations is the key to success for many construction businesses.
Is There Anything You Can Do To Prepare For An OSHA Inspection?
It’s important to note that you shouldn’t just be implementing adequate safety procedures in the lead-up to an OSHA inspection. However, if you’ve heard there’s one coming up, and you want to prepare, these are some of the ways you can do just that.
1. Know The OSHA Requirements
There’s no way to prepare for an inspection if you don’t know exactly what OSHA compliance officers are looking for. You should familiarise yourself with the specific OSHA standards for construction, especially those related to fall protection, excavation, scaffolding and hazardous materials.
2. Invest In High-Quality Equipment
Using high-quality equipment is key for ensuring the safety of your employees and yourself when on-site. If you’re working at height, invest in high-quality galvanised access ladders or use secure scaffolding to keep your site as safe as possible. Having the right equipment and ensuring it aligns with current regulations can show OSHA compliance officers that you are taking site safety seriously.
3. Create A Safety Program
You should have a safety program in place for all of your construction sites. This should include information like policies, procedures and training programs so that you can make sure all your employees are trained on the site’s safety procedures. You should also be conducting regular walk-throughs to identify and address any potential hazards before they become a larger problem.
4. Keep All Your Documents Together
OSHA compliance officers may want to see your safety and training documents, so it’s important to keep them all together and know where they are at a moment’s notice. In addition to keeping detailed documentation around employee training, it’s also important that you have documents of any accidents or incident reports. You also want to have a comprehensive record of previous safety inspections, including what was found and the actions you took to correct any past violations.
5. Do Your Own Checks
If you know an OSHA inspection is coming up, take a walk-through of your site and try to pick out things that compliance officers may be looking for. In addition to walking through your site before an inspection and checking things over yourself, you may want to tidy your site up in advance. Having a clean and organised site shows that you’re taking the safety of your employees seriously and makes it easier for compliance officers to conduct their inspections.
The Safety Of Your Employees Is Paramount
Keeping your employees safe at work should always be your top priority. Whether you know you have an OSHA inspection coming up or not, you should always be taking the steps to make sure your site is a safe environment. To improve overall safety, invest in good equipment, keep your space clean and always have the right documentation. Not only will these tips and tricks help you ace your next OSHA inspection, but they’ll also ensure that both you and your employees make it back to your loved ones safe and sound at the end of the work day.
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