How businesses can prepare for an OSHA inspection

Some prep work may help businesses
to have a smooth inspection.

OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States, may inspect small businesses to see if they comply with workplace safety practices.

This may happen after a complaint or workplace accident, or at any other time, and it helps to get prepared in advance.

By prepping in advance, business owners can anticipate the inspection process and keep fines and citations to a minimum, experts said in a recent Fox Business article.

It recommended taking the following steps:

• Assess the workplace and prepare a plan, which identifies the current hazards and personal protective precautions that are being taken
• Find out the purpose of the inspection, if applicable
• Inform employees about potential workplace hazards and the protective measures in place
• Assign one person to be in charge of the inspection, who will be the company contact and accompany the inspector during the investigation
• Take the same photos and measurements as the OSHA officer
• Find out your own rights
• Get a written, signed request from the officer for any information that is sought to avoid confusion later on

A healthy workplace environment includes good indoor air quality.

Depending on the business, a workplace may expose workers to myriad indoor air contaminants such as chemicals, gases, VOCs, particles, fumes, bacteria, viruses and molds.

An industrial-strength air cleaner with activated carbon and HEPA filters can remove the widest range of these pollutants, many of which have been linked to serious and long-term health conditions.

Electrocorp has developed versatile and powerful air cleaners for a variety of industrial and commercial applications, which can be used as stand-alone, HVAC-compatible or ceiling-mountable air cleaners.

Contact Electrocorp for more information and recommendations.