|
Our onsite consultation program is designed
to identify potential hazards and recognize
existing precautionary measures your company
is already taking to keep your workplace safe.
Here we describe the different stages of our
onsite process.
Scheduling
Once
we receive your request, the request is assigned
to a consultant who contacts you to set up
an appointment at a time that is convenient
for you.
Opening Conference
When
the consultant arrives at your work site for
the scheduled visit, he or she will first
meet with you in an opening conference to
briefly review the consultant's role and the
obligation you incur as an employer.
Records and Program Reviews
The
consultant looks at the following and makes
recommendations to ensure compliance with
OSHA standards and to enhance your safety
and health efforts.
- OSHA
record keeping logs, first aid logs and
accident reports.
- Hazard
specific programs such as hazard communication,
bloodborne pathogens, energy control or
electrical safety related work practices
program, emergency action and fire prevention
plan, confined space program, hearing conservation
program, respiratory protection program.
Walk-Through
Together,
you and the consultant will examine conditions
in your workplace. If you have a unionized
workplace, you must offer the union representative
the option of participating in the walk-through
and the closing conference. We strongly encourage
maximum employee participation in the walk-through.
Better-informed and alert employees can more
easily work with you to identify and correct
potential injury and illness hazards in your
workplace. Talking with employees during the
walk-through also helps the consultant to
identify and judge the nature and extent of
specific hazards.
The
consultant will study your entire workplace
or the specific operations you designate and
discuss the applicable OSHA standards. They
will also point out other safety and health
hazards that might not be cited under the
OSHA standards but nevertheless may pose serious
safety or health risks to your employees.
They may suggest and even provide other measures
such as self-inspection and safety and health
training you and your employees can use to
prevent future hazardous conditions.
The
comprehensive consultation also includes:
- Appraisal
of all environmental hazards and hazardous
work practices (i.e. dust, noise, mist and
fumes)
- Appraisal
of all mechanical hazards and hazardous
work practices
- Appraisal
of the present job safety and health program.
Closing
Conference
After
the walk-through the consultant will review
detailed findings with you in a closing conference.
You will learn not only what you need to improve,
but also what you are doing right. At that
time you can discuss problems, possible solutions
and correction periods to eliminate or control
any serious hazards identified during the
walk-through, as well as request assistance
with specific programs or planned operations.
The consultant will offer general approaches
in controlling identified hazards and options
available to you. They can also suggest other
sources for technical help.
Correction
and Follow Through
Following
the closing conference, the consultant will
send you a detailed written report explaining
the findings and confirming correction periods
agreed upon. Consultants may also contact
you from time to time to check your progress.
You, of course, may always contact them for
assistance.
Ultimately,
OSHA requires hazard correction of all hazards
identified as "serious" so that
each consultation visit achieves its objective
- effective employee protection. If you
refuse to eliminate or control identified
hazards the situation must be referred from
consultation to an OSHA enforcement office
for appropriate action. This however has rarely
occurred in the past.
|
