AUDITS & INSPECTIONS
With the J. J. Keller® SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE, you can easily assess risk and performance across your organization. Pinpoint problem areas using a variety of pre-built OSHA safety inspection checklists, and quickly implement corrective actions to ensure the well-being of your business and employees.
Experience the benefits of a
superior audits & inspections solution
superior audits & inspections solution
INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC CHECKLISTS
Streamline workflows with access to a robust assortment of pre-built inspection checklists for OSHA, EPA and DOT.
CENTRALIZED TASK MANAGEMENT
Easily schedule upcoming audits and inspections and assign specific tasks to anyone within your organization — including those without a SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE account.
FLEXIBLE REPORTING
Attach images, links, notes, and other pertinent information to your audits & inspections and generate inspection reports.
Quickly and conveniently perform safety audits!
Prepping for the Pre-Inspection Opening Conference
When OSHA inspects a facility, they don’t give advance notice. The compliance officer should hold an opening conference to explain the reason for and scope of the OSHA inspection. However, if the receptionist who greets the compliance officer doesn’t know who to notify, the compliance officer may start the inspection without your knowledge – this has happened to some employers. To avoid having an OSHA compliance officer conducting a safety inspection without an escort, make sure your receptionists know what to do when someone from OSHA shows up and presents credentials.
Ed Zalewski | Sr. Editor, EHS
aUDITS & iNSPECTIONS FAQS
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is authorized to conduct workplace inspections to determine whether employers are complying with standards issued by the Agency for safe and healthful workplaces.
An audit is a systematic, objective tool to assess regulatory compliance in the workplace. An audit usually involves a survey of the workplace to:
- Identify what regulations apply to a company or facility.
- Determine whether environmental and workplace safety requirements, and corporate policies and procedures regarding compliance are being followed.
- Assess management systems currently in place to ensure compliance. An audit may also look at and evaluate the methods used to achieve compliance.
The short answer is “as often as they are needed.” The frequency of hazard assessments will depend on a variety of factors. In an office environment, inspections may not be needed frequently. However, in factory settings, inspections may need to be conducted regularly. The employer must determine how “regularly” to conduct inspections based on its evaluation of potential risks. In addition, hazard assessments are likely needed when new equipment or processes are introduced.
Technically, yes, the regulation at 29 CFR 1903.3 says that compliance officers “are authorized to enter without delay” in order to conduct inspections. An employer does have the right to require that the inspector obtain a warrant, but the inspector will be able to obtain one (because the regulation clearly authorizes the inspection). Although demanding a warrant is an employer’s right, the request may create the impression that the employer has something to hide, and the inspection may not go as smoothly once the compliance officer returns with the warrant.
