How to Pass Your OSHA Audit or Inspection
How is your readiness for the day an OSHA rep comes for an unannounced audit? You don’t want this, but be ready to pass your OSHA audit when it happens. First, OSHA authorization to inspect your company is in place since the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Second, OSHA conducts workplace inspections to verify your company complies with OSHA standards.
Third, your inspection preparation and expectation will significantly affect your inspection, and after inspection results. Finally, being informed and prepared saves you potentially thousands… not to mention a massive headache, and possible business shutdown.
Where to Start to Pass Your OSHA Audit
First step in passing your OSHA audit is preparing for it beforehand. Also, you may not know when your OSHA audit starts, but you can be ready. Secondly, your OSHA audit isn’t just looking at your current operations, they’re looking for records. Thirdly, your inspection headache is significantly reduced with your records and training materials, safety training records, equipment inspection records, and safety and health policies in place.
Documented Training Materials: This refers to your materials used during a training including what the training covers and potentially notes as well needed to pass your OSHA audit and inspection.
Safety Training Records: Safety records showing your training attendance records for your organizations safety training. Many companies use pen and paper records which can be a nightmare to compile and review.
Equipment Inspection Records: Inspect the equipment used in your workplace as needed. Check which equipment requires inspection and records. You don’t inspect and record all equipment, for example some ladder types. Inspect and record when you are in doubt.
Safety and Health Policies: Keep your safety and health policies available to employees and contractors, since your OSHA inspection will review them.
Show the OSHA inspector where your official OSHA poster is located as your fist step to pass an OSHA audit. Know where this is, if you don’t have one, get one immediately.
Importance of Inspection to Pass Your OSHA Audit
Welcome the OSHA inspectors to your conference area prepared for the inspection. Here you include your pre-planned team of people together to ask questions, shadow the inspector, and coordinate your inspection day. First, your pre-inspection conference happens. Secondly this is followed by your inspection walkthrough. Finally, your inspection ends with a post-inspection conference.
Pre-Inspection Conference
Discuss with the inspector and your team their reason for your inspection. Present your records the inspector during this discussion. Have you lawyer present during your inspection as needed. Do not overshare during your inspection. Comply with the OSHA rep, and remember your legal rights is best practice during your inspection. Ask your inspector up front all questions about what to expect and how to arrange schedules during your inspection throughout the day. Your employees are commonly interviewed during your inspection. Inform employees of their right for company representation during the interview. Communicate clearly to all affected parties about OSHA on-site presence for your inspection.
The Walkthrough
As your OSHA inspector walks through areas of your workplace they note and document heir findings. They often collect pictures and videos during your inspection. Insure presence of your organization’s representative(s) during your inspection. Take your own records, notes, pictures, and video they are important to pass your OSHA audit. Be cordial with the inspectors, they recommend to the OSHA officials as regarding citations.
Post-Inspection Conference
Following your inspection walkthrough, your team and inspector(s) summarize your the inspection. Ask the OSHA inspectors to disclose any concerns witnessed during the walkthrough during your conference. Insure all notes (yours and inspectors) are free of discrepancies. Develop plans to address any of the concerns brought up by the OSHA rep ASAP. Citations appear within 6 months of your inspection when relevant.
What Comes After
Proceed with your after inspection tasks. Organizations can appeal citations and negotiate fees. Use the documentation saved during your inspection and all other relevant records. Do this to pass an OSHA audit.
Prepare for your inspection before it happens. Perform safety audits regularly to find places within your business that can lead to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. Use OSHA’s own safety inspection document to guide your preparation and readiness. (osha document link)
Creating Records to Insure You Pass Your OSHA Audit
Provided records dating back three years and beyond in some cases. Using pen and paper is an absolute nightmare to manage and mistakes are almost guaranteed to cost you thousands of dollars. Use stratus-io: Safety Training to generate your safety training records, upload training materials, take notes, capture signatures and more. Generate certificates, be notified when they need to be renewed, and generate reports all with the click of a button. Training attendance is captured in any setting utilizing existing employee and contractor IDs and manually. Contact us today by clicking below for a free demonstration and trial.
