More than 85 percent of employers in a recent Occupational Safety and Health Administration survey said they conduct voluntary self-audits of safety and health conditions in their workplaces, approximately a 60 percent increase from percentages reported in a survey conducted in 1981 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Moreover, nearly 90 percent of employers surveyed in larger general industry establishments said they had conducted an inspection in the last 12 months.
“These high percentages are evidence that our policies to encourage self-inspections are working, ” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Charles N. Jeffress.
Jeffress added that the OSHA survey, which involved telephone interviews with 492 large and small employers in general industry and construction, revealed that employers conduct self- audits to:
- reduce injury and illness rates (83 percent);
- do the “right thing” (79 percent); and
- to be in compliance with OSHA regulations (79 percent).
When employers not now conducting self-inspections were asked what would encourage them to begin, they said the strongest influences would be lowering insurance costs; increasing the probability that injury and illness rates would decrease; and receiving a penalty reduction if OSHA inspected and found a violation.
Some insurance companies develop partnerships with OSHA and offer reduced premiums to employers who participate in programs to assist them in conducting self-inspections. OSHA also distributes guidance for conducting such self-audits in the form of “on- line advisors” on the Internet. Employers can find these advisors by going to the OSHA home page at http://www.osha.gov and click on “OSHA Advisors/Software.”
Copies of the policy and the news release announcing the policy can be found by going to the OSHA home page at http//www.osha.gov.
From the Daily Regulatory Reporter