1 / 27

The Dos & Don’ts of an OSHA Inspection

ASSE Chapter Meeting Presented by: Tressi L. Cordaro | Washington D.C. February 5, 2014. The Dos & Don’ts of an OSHA Inspection. Overview . Importance of Being Prepared Before OSHA Arrives During an OSHA Inspection After OSHA Leaves Informal Conference Contesting Citation .

chaney
Download Presentation

The Dos & Don’ts of an OSHA Inspection

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. ASSE Chapter Meeting Presented by: Tressi L. Cordaro | Washington D.C. February 5, 2014 The Dos & Don’ts of an OSHA Inspection

  2. Overview • Importance of Being Prepared • Before OSHA Arrives • During an OSHA Inspection • After OSHA Leaves • Informal Conference • Contesting Citation

  3. Importance of Being Prepared • Goals to effectively manage an OSHA investigation • Minimize liability and disruption to production • Present the facility in the best light possible • Maintain positive employee relations • Preserve the relationship with local OSHA office

  4. Importance of Being Prepared • Administrative Liability • Citation penalties: • Serious – Maximum $7,000 • Willful/Repeat – Maximum $70,000 • Failure to Abate – Maximum of $7,000 Each Day • Egregious – Per Instance Violation

  5. Importance of Being Prepared • What is at stake? • Civil penalties • Abatement costs • Criminal conviction/penalties • Misdemeanor with a maximum of 6 months imprisonment and maximum of $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for the organization • Civil liability • Can be used as evidence of negligence • Employee relations

  6. Importance of Being Prepared • Negative Publicity • OSHA Press releases • “Regulation by shaming” • Presumed guilty • Creates impression of dangerous place to work • Workers Compensation Costs • In some states citations can increase the award by 100 percent.

  7. Importance of Being Prepared • Severe Violator Enforcement Program • Certain criteria must be met in order to be placed into the SVEP. • OSHA can inspect all worksites simultaneously or over several months. • You can litigate and have qualifying criterion withdrawn either at trial or through settlement negotiations.

  8. Before OSHA Arrives • Assess Hazards, Prepare Plan, and Train • Assess hazards (including review of past injuries and illnesses, and inspections) and make an inventory • Make a plant-wide safety plan with input from top management, front-line management, and hourly employees • Train everyone; then follow the plan

  9. Before OSHA Arrives • Consider whether or when you will require a warrant before permitting entry • How will you deal with employee representatives • Determine who is to be notified when OSHA comes • Determine who will be the contact person with OSHA on all aspects of the investigation

  10. Three Phases of the Inspection Opening Conference Walk-Around Closing Conference

  11. When OSHA ArrivesOpening Conference • Review credentials of compliance officer • Learn the purpose of the investigation • Request copy of complaint if one was made • Contact appropriate company official and/or counsel

  12. When OSHA ArrivesOpening Conference • Why is OSHA investigating? • Imminent danger • Catastrophic and fatal accidents • Eight-hour reporting requirement (fatality or hospitalization of three or more employees) • Employee or other complaint • Programmed (SST, NEP, etc.) • Re-inspection

  13. Opening Conference • You Should Set Reasonable Ground Rules: • Logistics plan for site inspection • Escort • Employee interviews • Document production • Photographs/Videotaping • Sampling • Walk-around • OSHA briefings

  14. Logistics Plan • You Should: • Designate OSHA entry for inspection • Designate OSHA location for inspection • Designate location for employee interviews • Require OSHA to stay in the designated areas until request for walk-around

  15. Escort • You Should: • Escort OSHA at all times • This prevents the compliance officer from getting hurt. • This allows you to gather information about the direction/focus of the inspection.

  16. Walk-Around 8(e) of the OSH Act Authorizes the Employer and the Exclusive Bargaining Representative to Accompany OSHA During the Walk-Around.

  17. Walk-Around • You Should: • Require OSHA to provide reasonable notice for the walk-around • Determine route to area needed to be inspected • Audit route before OSHA inspects

  18. Walk-Around • You Should: • Require OSHA to stay in designated route • Take notes during walk-around • Debrief walk-around representative

  19. During an Inspection: Management Interviews • Statements by managers/supervisors are binding on the company • Entitled to management representative or attorney • Typical ground rules • No tape or video recording • No signing of statements • Prepare managers who will be questioned • Lying to an inspector is a criminal offense and OSHA will prosecute

  20. During an Inspection: Employee Interviews • OSHA has the right to “question privately” any employee • No rule against the employer interviewing hourly employee witnesses, even on work time • Interviews are voluntary, unless OSHA issues subpoena • Inform employees that OSHA has no right to tape-record or video-tape their interview • Inform employees that OSHA has no right to get a signed statement • Inform employees that they can inform OSHA that they waive confidentiality regarding their statements

  21. Employee Interviews • But don’t encourage workers to not cooperate with OSHA • Tell employees nothing they tell OSHA will result in any adverse job changes • Tell the employees to (1) tell the truth, (2) provide facts based on first-hand knowledge, (3) do not guess or speculate, (4) listen carefully to the question, and (5) answer only questions asked

  22. During an Inspection: Document Requests • Document requests submitted to a single source, in writing • Is the document responsive to OSHA’s written request? • Is the document privileged? • Mark documents as Trade Secret/Business Confidential • Is the request reasonable? • Maintain separate copy of all documents provided • If written, no question what was sought by OSHA • Do not allow compliance officer to rifle through documents

  23. Document Production • You Should: • Review Documents Before Producing • This ensures responses are not over or under-inclusive. • Preserves confidentiality of Trade Secrets. • Stamp Documents Being Produced As Trade Secret to Preserve Confidentiality • OSHA is required to maintain confidentiality of Trade Secrets under Section 15 of the OSH Act. • Bates stamp documents being produced

  24. Photographs, Videotaping and Sampling • You Should: • Take shadow photographs and videotape • Require 24 hours notice prior to any industrial hygiene sampling • This allows time to arrange parallel sampling • This ensures proper methodology for sampling

  25. During an Inspection: Closing Conference • Goal – Learn as much as you can • What citations will OSHA issue? • How will they be characterized? • What abatement does OSHA expect? • How is the abatement to be accomplished? • Do not argue and avoid admissions

  26. After an Inspection • Employer has15 working days from receipt of citations to file notice of contest • The 15-working-day period cannot be extended • Failure to file a timely notice of contest effectively ends your ability to challenge any aspect of the citations or proposed penalties • Right to Informal Conference with Area Director during the 15-day period

  27. After NOC • Case is sent to the Review Commission • Assigned to an ALJ (Administrative Law Judge) • Can still attempt to settle • Hearing on the merits and a decision issued by the ALJ • Appeal rights to a three panel Review Commission (all political appointees)

More Related