Marine Fabricator May/June 2023 - 46

Shop Talk Business
" The only catch
is that you must
clean up what the
consultants find. "
OSHA'S FREE
(HELPFUL!) ADVICE
OSHA's On-Site Consultation
Program offers no-cost, confidential
occupational safety and health
services to small- and medium-sized
businesses in all 50 states, the District
of Columbia and several U.S. territories.
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 for compliance with OSHA
standards, and assist in establishing
and improving safety and health
programs. For more information,
visit osha.gov/consultation.
* Step Four: The company must
correct any situation that poses
imminent danger or is a severe OSHA
violation. Other recommendations
must be implemented within the
agreed-upon timeline. Hazards must
be posted where employees can see
them until the problem is corrected.
Part of the enforcement exemption
is the understanding that you will
comply with the recommendations.
Be proactive
The best thing about this program is that
you will be providing a safe work environment
for the people who work with you
and for you. As a bonus, the enforcement
people can't touch you for at least a year.
So, here is a little advice. A sizable accident
or a string of claims can trigger an OSHA
audit. If you think you may be getting a
visit, call the consulting services folks.
The only catch is that you must clean up
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46 Marine Fabricator | May/June 2023
what the consultants find. But this is a small
price to pay considering the alternative.
No decent business owner wants to see
his or her employees get injured on the job.
When someone goes down, the rest of the
team has to step up and cover the work.
Additionally, we owners have typically
developed relationships with the people
who have made us successful over the
years. They become a part of our family.
It is unsettling to the whole team when a
member of that family sustains a serious
injury-especially if it was avoidable.
I know the thought of inviting OSHA
into your facility is slightly uncomfortable,
but this is one government program I would
take a hard look at. If anything, it might just
prompt you to become more safety conscious
in the future. Good luck.
Jason Bader is principal of The Distribution Team,
based out of Portland, Ore. For details, visit
distributionteam.com.
For more information, visit:
marinefabricatormag.com
Search OSHA
http://www.osha.gov/consultation http://www.Textiles.org/CONNECT http://www.distributionteam.com http://www.marinefabricatormag.com
Marine Fabricator May/June 2023

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