May 12, 2004—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a factsheet on OSHA’s Consultation Program (.pdf file). The publication gives details about the consultation service, how to get started, and what on-site consultants will do.
Using a free consultation service funded by OSHA, employers can find out about potential hazards at their worksites, improve their occupational safety and health management systems, and qualify for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA inspection. Certain obligations must be met, including agreeing to correct all serious hazards found during the visit in an agreed-upon time frame.
The service is delivered by state governments, using well-trained professional staff. Consultations take place on-site, although limited services away from the worksite are available. Primarily targeted for smaller, high-hazard businesses, the consultation program is completely separate from the OSHA inspection effort. No citations are issued nor penalties proposed. Confidentiality will be strictly maintained during the process; the consultant will only report hazard information to OSHA if the employer fails to correct an imminent danger or serious hazards.
