OSHA’s on-site consultation program is FREE and confidential for small & medium-sized businesses operating across the U.S. Learn more about how you can use this free program to identify workplace hazards, ensure compliance on your jobsites and establish your health & safety program.
One of the best benefits that OSHA provides to small, medium or newly established businesses is a FREE safety consultation service. OSHA on-site consultation services are provided to companies who request the service, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. This free service is available to small & medium businesses operating in the United States.
If you are reluctant to call OSHA to ask them to come to your company, please note that these on-site consultation services are SEPARATE from the OSHA enforcement department and you will NOT get penalties or citations, even if things at your company aren’t quite perfect. If applicable, companies may even qualify for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections by utilizing the free service. Your obligation is to make a commitment and follow through with correction serious workplace safety and health hazards.
OSHA consultants are from state agencies and universities and they work with employers to help identify workplace hazards. The consultants will also provide advice on OSHA compliance standards and can also assist the company to set up health and safety programs that fit the business.
Worker safety is essential to running a successful business. A safety consultant can help businesses ask and think through essential questions to create a safe work environment. Small businesses may not have a budget to hire a safety professional but this program can offer similar advice at no cost.
The On-Site Consultants Will:
- Help you recognize hazards in your workplace.
- Suggest general approaches or options for solving a safety or health problem.
- Identify kinds of help available if you need further assistance.
- Provide you a written report summarizing findings.
- Assist you to develop or maintain an effective safety and health programs.
- Provide training and education for you and your employees.
The On-Site Consultants Will Not:
- Issue citations or propose penalties for violations of OSHA standards.
- Report possible violations to OSHA enforcement staff.
- Guarantee that your workplace will "pass" an OSHA inspection.
Worker safety is essential to running a successful business. A safety consultant can help businesses ask and think through essential questions to create a safe work environment. Small businesses may not have a budget to hire a safety professional but this program can offer similar advice at no cost.
An On-Site Consultation visit is a confidential, no-cost consultation with a safety and health professional who will help you find and fix hazards, develop safety and health programs, and train your workers. Your business’s only obligation is to correct unsafe or unhealthy working conditions within a reasonable time period.
Because this consultation program is entirely voluntary, OSHA will not approach you about participating. Every employer who wishes to engage with this free service must request it. To start, visit OSHA’s Consultation Directory at osha.gov. Choose the state in which your company is located from the drop-down menu and the consultation division you need to contact will be provided immediately. You do not need to enter any personal information to get this information.
To learn more about what happens during an on-site consultation, visit OSHA’s website at osha.gov to learn more about the process.
State agencies and universities use safety and industrial hygiene specialists to conduct consultations. Their professional background, combined with OSHA training, makes them an ideal fit to help you address hazards in either your entire facility or just the portions of your facility where safety and health issues exist. The consultant will help you identify your business’s safety and health needs, and set a date for the visit that is convenient for you.
Annually, on average, responding to requests from small employers looking to create or improve their workplace safety and health programs, OSHA's On-Site Consultation Program conducts over 26,000 visits to small business worksites covering approximately 1 million workers across the nation.