OSHA’s Free On-site Consultation Program
OSHA’s free On-site Consultation Program offers free and confidential advice to small and medium-sized businesses in all states across the country, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. On-site Consultation services are separate from enforcement and do not result in penalties or citations. Consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing injury and illness prevention programs. Read more about OSHA’s free On-site Consultation Program.
Compliance Assistance Specialists (CAS)
Each OSHA Area Office in states under federal jurisdiction has a Compliance Assistance Specialist. These staffers respond to requests for help from a variety of groups, including small businesses. CAS’s put on seminars and workshops for small businesses and other groups. They promote OSHA’s cooperative programs, OSHA’s training resources, and the OSHA web site. To read more about Compliance Assistance Specialists and find a directory of CAS’s in your area, click here.
Penalty Reductions
OSHA takes employer size into consideration when assessing penalties. Please see the OSHA Administrative Penalty Information Bulletin for additional information on small employer eligibility for penalty reductions.
OSHA’s Cooperative Programs
OSHA offers cooperative programs under which businesses, labor groups, and other organizations can work cooperatively with the Agency to help prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses in the workplace. For help on deciding which cooperative programs are right for you, see Find a Cooperative Program. If you are located in a State with an OSHA-approved State Plan, please contact your state agency for information about cooperative programs. All States with OSHA-approved programs have their own cooperative programs.
Diverse Workforce/Limited English Proficiency Coordinators
OSHA’s Diverse Workforce/Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Coordinators assist a variety of groups, including small businesses, trade associations, union locals, and community and faith-based groups with outreach, education and training to Spanish-speaking and other diverse workers. The coordinators are available for seminars, workshops, and speaking events for diverse workers. They promote OSHA’s cooperative programs and Spanish/other-than-English training materials and compliance assistance resources available on the OSHA Web site. There is one Diverse Workforce/LEP Coordinator in each of the ten OSHA Regions. To find the Diverse Workforce/LEP Coordinator in your Region, click here.
Training and Education
OSHA’s Training Institute (OTI) and OSHA’s Training Education Centers across the country provide basic and advanced courses in safety and health. OSHA’s area offices offer information services, such as audiovisual aids, technical advice, and speakers for special engagements. In addition, the Training Centers have begun offering one-day or one-half-day seminars to increase opportunities for small business employers to attend safety/health training.
Susan Harwood Training Grants Program – Training and educational programs for small businesses is a priority for the grants program. The program has funded Small Business Development Centers.
Electronic Tools and Resources
OSHA eTools are “stand-alone”, interactive, Web-based training tools on occupational safety and health topics. They are highly illustrated and utilize graphical menus. Some also use expert system modules, which enable the user to answer questions, and receive reliable advice on how OSHA regulations apply to their work site.
- OSHA’s Safety and Health Management Systems eTool provides guidance for employers looking to build effective safety and health management systems at their worksites.
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages provide access to selected occupational safety and health information. The subjects of these pages include specific workplace hazards, as well as individual industries.
OSHA’s Compliance Assistance Quick Start is a tool to introduce employers and employees, especially those at new or small businesses, to the compliance assistance resources on OSHA’s website.
OSHA’s $afety Pays Program is an interactive expert system to assist employers in estimating the costs of occupational injuries and illnesses and the impact on a company’s profitability. This system uses a company’s profit margin, the AVERAGE costs of an injury or illness, and an indirect cost multiplier to project the amount of sales a company would need to generate in order to cover those costs.
Frequently Cited OSHA Standards is a query tool which allows the user to determine the most frequently cited Federal and State OSHA standards for a given NAICS code. The NAICS code may be determined by accessing the online NAICS Manual.
Publications
OSHA has many publications, including specific topics for small businesses that are available or can be ordered online.
Source: United States Department of Labor, “Benefits and Resources” https://www.osha.gov website. Accessed August 5, 2014. https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/benefits.html
© Copyright 2014. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.
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