Safety and Health

Normally, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducts inspections without advance notice. You have the right to require compliance officers to obtain an inspection warrant before entering the worksite, however.

OSHA focuses on the most hazardous workplaces by order of priority. For lower-priority hazards, an OSHA representative may contact you to describe safety and health concerns, following up with details. In such an instance, you must respond in writing within five working days, identifying any problems found and noting corrective actions taken or planned. If your response is adequate and the complainant satisfied, OSHA generally will not conduct an inspection.

If OSHA does conduct an inspection, you may select a representative, who has the right to accompany the Compliance Safety and Health Officer during the inspection. During the inspection, the Compliance Safety and Health Officer may point out apparent violations that can be corrected immediately. While the law requires that these hazards must still be cited with a proposed time period for correction and any associated penalties, prompt action is a sign of good faith on your part.

Following an inspection, you have both rights and responsibilities that are important to understand.