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October 17, 2010 08:14:34 AM

Step 1:  Recordkeeping, Reporting and Posting
  1. Recordkeeping. OSHA requires certain employers to keep records of workplace injuries and illnesses (29 CFR 1904).
    • First determine if you are exempt from the routine recordkeeping requirements. You are not required to keep OSHA injury and illness records (unless asked to do so in writing by OSHA or the Bureau of Labor Statistics) if:
      1) you had 10 or fewer employees during all of the last calendar year (29 CFR 1904.1); or
      2) you are in certain low-hazard retail, service, finance, insurance, or real estate industries (29 CFR Part 1904, Subpart B, Appendix A).
    • If you do not qualify for these exemptions, you must comply with OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements.

      Note: Accurate injury/illness recordkeeping, followed by analysis of the nature and circumstances of those injuries, is a key part of a good safety and health program. OSHA's free $AFETY PAYS software, which can be downloaded from OSHA's website, can show you how workplace injuries hurt your bottom line profits. OSHA believes that an effective safety and health program will Add Value [PDF - 201KB] to your business, workplace, and life. 
       

  2. Reporting. OSHA requires all employers, regardless of size or industry, to report the work-related death of any employee or hospitalizations of three or more employees. Read about OSHA's reporting requirements (29 CFR 1904.39).
     
  3. OSHA Poster. All employers must post the OSHA Poster (or state plan equivalent) in a prominent location in the workplace. Download or order the OSHA Poster in English or Spanish.
     
  4. Access to Exposure and Medical Records. An OSHA standard (29 CFR 1910.1020) requires employers to provide employees, their designated representatives, and OSHA with access to employee exposure and medical records. Employers generally must maintain exposure records for 30 years and medical records for the duration of employment plus 30 years.

NOTE: If your workplace is in a state operating an OSHA-approved state program, state plan recordkeeping regulations, although substantially identical to federal ones, may have some more stringent or supplemental requirements, such as reporting of fatalities and catastrophes. Industry exemptions may also differ. Contact your state program directly for additional information.

 

 

Step 2:  OSHA Requirements That Apply to Most General Industry Employers
The following are selected OSHA requirements that apply to many general industry employers.
  1. Hazard Communication Standard. This standard is designed to ensure that employers and employees know about hazardous chemicals in the workplace and how to protect themselves.  Employers with employees who may be exposed to hazardous chemicals in the workplace must prepare and implement a written Hazard Communication Program and comply with other requirements of the standard.
  2. Emergency Action Plan Standard. OSHA recommends that all employers have an Emergency Action Plan. A plan is mandatory when required by an OSHA standard. An Emergency Action Plan describes the actions employees should take to ensure their safety in a fire or other emergency situation.
  3. Fire Safety. OSHA recommends that all employers have a Fire Prevention Plan. A plan is mandatory when required by an OSHA standard.
  4. Exit Routes. All employers must comply with OSHA's requirements for exit routes in the workplace.
  5. Walking/Working Surfaces. Floors, aisles, platforms, ladders, stairways, and other walking/working surfaces are present, to some extent, in all general industry workplaces. Slips, trips, and falls from these surfaces constitute the majority of general industry accidents. The OSHA standards for walking and working surfaces apply to all permanent places of employment, except where only domestic, mining, or agricultural work is performed.
  6. Medical and First Aid. OSHA requires employers to provide medical and first aid personnel and supplies commensurate with the hazards of the workplace. The details of a workplace medical and first aid program are dependent on the circumstances of each workplace and employer.

NOTE: To find the OSHA standards that are most frequently cited by OSHA inspectors, visit Frequently Cited OSHA Standards. At that site, you can find the most frequently cited federal or state OSHA standards based on your industry’s Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code and the number of employees in your establishment.

Step 3:  OSHA Requirements That May Apply to Your Workplace
In addition to the OSHA requirements covered in Steps 1 and 2, a number of other OSHA standards may apply to your workplace. The following checklist can help you identify other key OSHA standards that may apply and point you to information to help you comply with those standards.

This checklist is not comprehensive – additional OSHA standards may apply to your workplace.  In addition, section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, known as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to provide their employees with a workplace that is free of recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.
  1. If you have employees who operate machinery (e.g., saws, slicers, shears, slitters, power presses, etc.), you may be subject to OSHA’s Machine Guarding requirements.
  2. If your employees service or maintain machines or equipment that could start up unexpectedly or release hazardous energy, you may be subject to OSHA's Lockout/Tagout requirements.
  3. Electrical hazards, such as wiring deficiencies, are one of the hazards most frequently cited by OSHA. OSHA's electrical standards include design requirements for electrical systems and safety-related work practices. 
  4. Employers must perform an assessment of each operation in their workplace to determine if their employees are required to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Note that engineering controls and work practices are the preferred methods for protecting employees ― OSHA generally considers PPE to be the least desirable means of controlling employee exposure.
  5. If necessary to protect the health of your employees, you must provide appropriate respirators.  You must establish a Respiratory Protection program that meets the requirements of OSHA’s Respiratory Protection standard.
  6. Employers whose employees are exposed to excessive noise (e.g., conditions that make normal conversation difficult) may be required to implement a Hearing Conservation program.
  7. Employers should evaluate their workplaces for the presence of confined spaces.
  8. If employees may be exposed to blood or bodily fluids as part of their assigned duties, you may be subject to OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard.
  9. If your employees operate Powered Industrial Trucks (i.e., forklifts), you may be subject to OSHA’s Powered Industrial Trucks standard.
Step 4:  Survey Your Workplace for Additional Hazards
Survey your workplace for additional hazards and OSHA requirements by:
  • Using a checklist. OSHA Training Materials: Self-Inspection Checklist (taken from OSHA Handbook for Small Business, OSHA Publication 2209 (1996) [PDF - 323KB])
  • Using an online tool. OSHA eTool: OSHA Hazard Awareness Advisor. This tool can help you identify and understand common safety and health hazards in your workplace. It will ask you about activities, practices, material, equipment, and policies at your workplace. The Hazard Awareness Advisor uses your answers to determine the hazards that are likely to be present. It then prepares a customized report that briefly describes the likely hazards and the OSHA standards that address those hazards.
  • Reviewing OSHA's general industry standards for additional requirements that may apply to your workplace. (29 CFR 1910)

NOTE: You may review and print FREE copies of OSHA's general industry standards from OSHA's website. You may also order bound volumes of the standards from the Government Printing Office (GPO) at (202) 512-1800 or from GPO's website. To get the complete set of general industry standards from GPO, you will need to order the following two volumes: (1) Title 29, Parts 1900 to 1910 (section 1910.1 to 1910.999) and (2) Title 29, Part 1910 (sections 1910.1000 to end).

Step 5:  Develop a Comprehensive Jobsite Safety and Health Program
While OSHA does not require employers to develop comprehensive safety and health programs, development and implementation of these programs is an effective way to comply with OSHA standards and prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. The information you've obtained from the steps above is a good start for developing a comprehensive safety and health program.

For help in developing a program:
 
 

 

General Industry Quick Start Library
This General Industry Quick Start Library includes a collection of forms, publications, resources, and sample programs from the Quick Start steps, plus additional compliance assistance resources. You can use this collection as a reference after completing the steps.

Laws and Regulations

Forms 

Posters

Publications

Web Pages

Electronic Compliance Assistance Tools: eTools and Expert Advisors

Sample Programs

The following sample programs provide examples of written programs on workplace safety and health topics. They are provided for illustrative purposes only. These sample programs do not supersede the requirements in OSHA standards. Employers should consult the applicable OSHA standards for the specific requirements applicable to their workplaces when developing their own customized programs.
 

  • Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communications Standards, OSHA Publication [PDF - 521KB]
  • Emergency Action and Fire Prevention Plan, Illinois Consultation Program [PDF - 23KB]
  • Hearing Conservation Program, Colorado State University (2002) [PDF - 42KB]
  • Lockout/Tagout, Colorado State University (2002) [PDF - 211KB]
  • Personal Protective Equipment, Alabama Consultation Program [PDF - 46KB]
  • Permit-Required Confined Spaces, Illinois Consultation Program [PDF - 65KB]
  • Respiratory Protection, Appendix IV to Small Entity Compliance Guide for the Revised Respiratory Protection Standard, OSHA Publication [PDF - 706KB]
  • Safety and Health Program for Small Business, included in OSHA Safety and Health Management Systems eTool

 

 

 

 

 

 


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