The BWC Division of
Safety & Hygiene’s
OSHA On-Site Consultation Program
OSHA On-Site Program
Overview
On-site consultants work with small, high-hazard
employers to address the employer’s overall
safety and health management system and to
assist them in ensuring a safe and healthful
workplace for their employees.
o 90% federally funded
o 10% state funded - Ohio Bureau of Worker’s
Compensation
Industrial Hygiene Services
o Conduct noise surveys
o Conduct air monitoring
o Ventilation assessments
o Provide advice as to the proper industrial
hygiene/engineering controls
OSHA On-Site Consultation
o Similar to a federal OSHA inspection
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Opening conference
Walk-through
Closing conference
A written report that summarizes the results
of the visit
Opening Conference
o Rights and obligations explained
• Hazard abatement deadlines
• Interim protection
o Full service consultation
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Facility walk-through
Written program review
Review of OSHA recordkeeping (300 logs)
Safety and health management assessment
Safety and Health
Management Review
o Conduct a safety and health program/policy
review
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Hazard anticipation and detection
Hazard prevention and control
Planning and evaluation
Administration and supervision
Safety and health training
Management leadership
Employee participation
Walk-Through
o Employee participation
• For union shops, opportunity to participate
in walk-through is required.
o Discussion with employees
• Required for all visits
• To help assess safety and hygiene management
• To help assess the extent of hazards
Walk-Through
o Scope of visits
• Full service - look at all processes
• Limited service - look at specific operations
o Informal training
Hazards Identified
o Imminent danger situation
• Abated immediately
o Serious finding
• Develop and agree to a reasonable plan and
schedule to eliminate or control that hazard
o Other-than-serious
• Should be corrected, but abatement
documentation not required
o Regulatory
o Other findings and recommendations
Closing Conference
o Review findings
o Due dates
o Methods of abatement
o Interim protection
o Follow up visits
o Training visits
o Offer formal training
After the Visit
o Written report
• Recommendations on correcting and improving
safety and health program.
o Explaining the findings
o Confirming abatement periods
After the Visit
o Follow-up visits available
o Other assistance available
o OSHA requires hazard abatement of all
serious hazards
o If not abated, referral to federal OSHA for
potential enforcement action is possible
On-Site Consultants Will:
o Suggest general approaches or options for
solving a safety or health problem;
o Identify kinds of help available, if needed;
o Help recognize hazards in the workplace;
o Provide a written report summarizing
findings.
On-Site Consultants Will:
o Assist in developing or maintaining an
effective safety and health program ;
o Provide awareness training and education
for employees .
On-Site Consultants Will
Not:
o Issue citations or propose penalties for
violations of OSHA standards;
o Routinely report possible violations to OSHA
enforcement staff;
o Guarantee that your workplace will “pass" an
OSHA inspection.
Exemptions and Deferrals
o SHARP (Safety and Health Achievement
Recognition Program) exemption
o Pre-SHARP inspection deferral
o SST deferral
Safety and Health
Achievement Recognition
Program (SHARP)
o Parallels Federal OSHA’s Voluntary
Protection Program (VPP)
o A company must work on an on-going basis
with the OSHA On-Site Consultation
Program and demonstrate an exemplary
safety and health program.
o Provides an exemption from general
schedule inspections
Pre-SHARP Inspection
Deferral
o Companies that are working toward SHARP
status but are not quite ready
o One time
o Up to 18 months
o Action plan
Site Specific Targeting
(SST) Deferral
o Must request and schedule a full service
visit, safety and health
o Deferral lasts 90 days from the date that the
visit is actually requested.
o Requires notification to OSHA that the
employer has a visit scheduled
o Cannot be extended beyond 90 days
o List changes year to year
Myths About the OSHA
On-Site Consultation
Program
o The Program routinely notifies OSHA to
conduct a compliance inspection.
o Federal OSHA knows which companies have
used On-Site Consultation Program services.
o Abatement of serious hazards are not
required.
o We provide site-specific training to
employers.
Why Bother?
To Get Started:
o Phone Call
• 800-282-1425 – State Wide (Automated)
• 614-644-2631
o E-mail
• OSHAOn-SiteRequest@BWC.State.OH.US