OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It’s an organization set up to ensure workplace safety and health for workers across the United States. The regulatory body enforces regulations relating to worker safety and imposes penalties on businesses that fail to comply with these regulations.
OSHA carries out workplace inspections to make sure that businesses are compliant with OSHA standards. Inspections range from covering the entire workplace to a few specific operations. OSHA can impose penalties as high as $70,000 for each violation.
OSHA inspections may also have implications for customer trust and insurance rates. In this article, we’ll explain all there is to know about OSHA inspections, how to prepare for one, and how to cooperate with inspections.
What is an OSHA Inspection?
An OSHA inspection is a review conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to ensure that workplaces meet federal safety and health standards. These inspections aim to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities by identifying and addressing hazards in the workplace.
OSHA inspections typically occur without advance notice and are often triggered by complaints or severe accidents. Also, if your business is in an industry with high injury rates, this may also trigger an OSHA inspection.
During an inspection, OSHA representatives carry out activities to ensure that the work site meets standards to ensure worker safety. This activity includes:
- Examining worksite conditions
- Checking safety protocols
- Interviewing employees
- Reviewing records
Employers must comply with OSHA regulations or risk penalties, including fines or corrective mandates.
Types of OSHA Inspection
OSHA conducts several types of inspections to ensure workplace safety, each with specific objectives. Let’s take a look at each in turn.
- The imminent danger inspection. This is one of the more urgent inspections, and it occurs when there’s an immediate risk to workers, such as exposed electrical hazards or dangerous machinery. If an imminent risk is confirmed, OSHA can order a halt to the operations until the hazard is resolved.
- The Fatality and catastrophe inspection. This type of inspection occurs when a worker has died or multiple workers have been hospitalized. These investigations aim to understand the cause of the accident and prevent similar occurrences.
- Complaint inspections. These inspections are initiated when employees file complaints about unsafe working conditions. These complaints are prioritized based on severity, with serious hazards receiving faster attention.
- Programmed inspections. Such inspections focus on industries or workplaces with high injury rates, targeting sectors statistically shown to have greater risks.
- Follow-up inspections. These inspections ensure compliance after a previous inspection, or they confirm corrective actions for previously identified hazards. These re-inspections help verify that employers have effectively mitigated risks as required.
Each type of inspection enables OSHA to address hazards proactively, reduce risks across industries, and enforce health and safety standards nationwide
What to know during an OSHA inspection?
To prepare for OSHA inspections, you need to understand how the process works. These include questions on when OSHA inspections occur, what to do when the inspector arrives, what is the process like, and lastly what their priorities are.
When Do OSHA Inspections Occur?
OSHA inspections are unlike internal audits. With internal audits, you get the chance to prepare. However, with OSHA inspections, it can happen without prior notice.
As mentioned earlier, these inspections are typically prompted by imminent dangers, serious accidents, complaints, or industries with high risks of injuries. This means you should place a priority on always being prepared.
What Happens After an OSHA Inspector Arrives?
Upon arrival, the inspector presents credentials and explains the purpose of the inspection. They may speak with a company representative and outline the inspection’s scope.
They may also speak randomly to employees at the site. This means you should speak to your employees in advance to let them know that inspectors are coming if possible.
What is the OSHA Inspection Process?
The inspector begins with an opening conference. This is followed by a walk-through of the facility, examining hazards, and potentially interviewing employees. Lastly, a closing conference summarizes findings and any necessary corrective actions.
What are OSHA Inspection Priorities?
Different businesses pose different risks. Influencing factors include the type of industry and the reports or complaints made against the business. OSHA typically gives priority to the following:
- Imminent dangers
- Fatalities
- Worker complaints
In particular, high-hazard industries are paid particular attention by OSHA. This type of prioritization helps OSHA address the most critical risks effectively.
Penalties for Committing OSHA Violations
OSHA enforces a range of penalties to address safety violations. Violations can be classified into the following categories:
- Serious violations
- Willful violations
- Repeated violations
- Failure-to abate violations
- Other-than-serious violations
The table below describes each violation and the value of the fees that have to be paid.
| Type of violations | Description | Value/Type of Fine |
| Serious violations | These hazards pose a risk of harm or death. | $16,131 per infraction |
| Willful violations | These are violations where an employer knowingly disregards safety rules. | $161,323 per infraction |
| Repeated violations | Violations that happen after a previous warning or citation. | $161,323 per repeat offense |
| Failure-to abate violations | These are violations imposed hen hazards remain uncorrected | $16,131 per day beyond the abatement date |
| Other-than-serious violations | These are minor infractions. | Fees are often lower than the others. |
How Can Your Business Prepare For an OSHA Inspection?
OSHA inspections can have a heavy impact on your business. Therefore, you should try as much as possible to prepare for it. To prepare for an OSHA inspection, businesses can implement several key practices such as.
- Maintain thorough and up-to-date records. This includes records of safety programs, incident logs, and training.
- Designating a knowledgeable representative. The job of this representative is to accompany the inspector to ensure clear communication.
- Inform employees. Employees should be informed of their rights and encouraged to report hazards directly to management to resolve issues proactively.
- Perform regular internal audits. Regular internal audits can identify and address potential hazards before an inspection. More than that, internal audits prepare for unannounced audits by OSHA.
By fostering a culture of safety and compliance, your businesses can make the inspection process easier and minimize the risk of citations.
Conclusion
OSHA inspections are essential for maintaining safe workplaces by identifying and addressing hazards that could harm employees. Regular inspections help prevent accidents by ensuring a safer environment and fostering employee trust. To be prepared, businesses should keep safety policies current, conduct regular internal audits, and train employees on safety practices and reporting procedures.
Designating a compliance officer can further streamline readiness, ensuring that safety documentation and protocols are well-organized and available when needed. These proactive steps help businesses stay compliant and reduce the risk of costly penalties.
At CDMS, we have a team of experts to help you conduct internal audits. These internal audits will make sure that you reduce the need of OSHA inspections, and even if it happens then you’re ready. Get in touch now to speak to one of our experts.
