A little help from OSHA

You know the old joke: "I’m from the government and I’m here to help you"? It’s a punchline that carries a little extra irony at tax time—WHICH IS NOW!

When it comes to paying your dues from a safety perspective, some companies have paid dearly in lost days, lost faith, and (worst of all) lost lives. I’m in the heart of "here to help you" town this week—Washington, DC—for the Industrial Truck Association’s spring meeting. ITA President Stan Simpson, will introduce Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, Edwin Foulke, Jr., head of OSHA, at a breakfast on the last day of the meeting. His presence at the meeting symbolizes how important the industrial truck industry thinks it is for its customers to use its products in a responsible manner. The ITA is investing substantial association funds in compliance officer training seminars.

OSHA is also spreading the word about its Onsite Consultation Program, a free and confidential way to get safety and health assistance. If you know you’re having problems, this is a great way to find a way to make them go away before OSHA is asked to look into them after the fact. All you have to do is request a consultation visit which can include a facility safety assessment addressing a single concern or a more comprehensive hazards assessment to help establish a safety and health management system.

That brings us to a variation on that punchline: "I’m from OSHA and I’m here to help you." In this case it’s true. OSHA grants employers working with a consultation project a deferral from programmed inspection from the date of the opening conference to the end of a period mutually established between you and the consultant for correction of the hazards.

If you’re a small employer, you can get special recognition through the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). This puts the spotlight on those setting the pace for excellent worksite safety and health. It also exempts them from programmed inspection during the period its SHARP certification is valid.

Forklifts tend to draw attention for the bad things that happen when poorly trained operators get behind their controls. OSHA really is available to help you avoid the unintended consequences.