New Jersey employers who are expecting an OSHA visit can often avoid the consequences of a negative finding against their business. To properly prepare for an investigation, or prevent the need for such a visit, there are several steps that employers can take.
OSHA is the federal government agency that is responsible for ensuring that workplaces in the United States are safe. Their investigators usually arrive at a workplace because there has been a workplace fatality or serious injury. However, sometimes the agency may conduct independent investigations when there is a violation of OSHA rules.
The first step that employers can take to avoid a negative finding by OSHA is to identify safety issues in the workplace. Once these issues are identified, policies can be put in place to help correct them. All issues should be documented. Therefore, when an OSHA investigator arrives on site, he or she can review the records to determine that steps are being taken to correct the issues and that procedures are being followed. All necessary OSHA records should be completed in the event that there is a workplace injury.
Another important step to prevent OSHA problems is to train employees. Employees should be able to identify hazards and know how to report such issues so that steps can be taken to remedy them. Workers may need to undergo routine safety meetings and be given information about any safety updates.
Individuals who are seeking workers’ compensation may wish to contact a lawyer. The attorney may investigate the company and look into any records of known issues including any OSHA records that show violations.
