OSHA compliance is an important aspect of operating a business. If a company is not in compliance with OSHA, it could be subject to penalties and fines. Fortunately, OSHA wants businesses to be in compliance, that’s why the organization offers training and assistance to both workers and employers.
Tools You Can Use for Compliance
There are several things you can do to protect your business from possible legal issues and fines.
Display OSHA Poster
Every business with employees is required to display the OSHA poster in an area visible to workers. It lets them know which rights they are afforded according to OSHA’s standards. This is part of complying with OSHA.
Reporting
Companies are required to report significant safety or health-related incidents that occur at the workplace. If a worker is killed at the job site it must be reported to OSHA within eight hours. However, if an employee is hospitalized, undergoes an amputation, or suffers from eye loss, it must be reported within 24 hours. You can make a report by contacting the closest OSHA office, calling the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-321-6742 (OSHA), or through the online portal.
Documentation
Employee medical records and training records have to be kept in an organized manner. Information about employees that have been exposed to hazardous materials also has to be kept on file, according to OSHA.
Training
Equip your employees with an emergency action plan along with OSHA compliance training. This will educate your workers about what to do in an emergency. It’s best to lay out what should be expected of employees in a step-by-step action plan. New training should occur when the job site changes and exposes employees to new hazards. Companies should also offer training when it becomes apparent that the training is needed based on employee performance.
Personal Protective Equipment
To enhance the safety measures for employees, companies have to offer personal protective equipment or PPE. This includes face masks, eye protection, gowns, gloves, and other pieces of equipment or clothing that provide protection. OSHA requires that these items are reusable, clean, and fitted for proper use. Employers also have to train employees on how to correctly put on and remove their PPE.
Stay Informed
Businesses should attempt to stay up-to-date with any new OSHA guidelines for workplace safety. You can sign up for OSHA’s newsletter to make sure you receive any new information about workplace safety and health. You’ll also receive updates on enforcement actions, rulemaking, outreach activities, compliance assistance, and training resources.
Regular Inspections
When a company performs regular inspections, you can be more certain that you will not have any issues with compliance. To make sure you don’t miss anything, the person inspecting should be up-to-date with OSHA’s current guidelines for workplace health and safety. Any issues found during the inspection should be immediately fixed.
Creating Tools You Can Use for Compliance
Easily mitigate risks before they become catastrophes with Biscayne Risk & Insurance’s risk management services. Our team will guide you in spotting the risks and forming solutions to minimize them. This method can help your business with OSHA compliance, as well as potentially lowering insurance costs.
Please contact us for a consultation where you can learn more about our risk mitigation services. It includes risk assessment and management. You’ll also have access to compliance resources, employee communication services, and insurance advisory.