Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

OSHA also announced its plans to make more tightly focused inspections on companies that have effective safety and health programs. If a company with a strong record meets selected safety/health criteria, the OSHA inspector will conduct an abbreviated inspection. Conversely, in situations where a safety and health program is nonexistent or inadequate, a complete site inspection, including full citations, will be undertaken.

OSHA and business interests clashed repeatedly during the late 1990s over proposed new regulations designed to identify and address workplace injuries and illnesses traced to the issue of ergonomics. "OSHA would require companies to implement permanent engineering controls and employ interim personal protective equipment," noted Purchasing. "Examples of engineering controls involve changing, modifying, or redesigning the following: workstations, tools, facilities, equipment, materials, and processes'¦. Many businesses have already adopted ergonomic design tools and workstations that reduce strain where repetitive motions, sitting for long periods, or reaching are required. It's not clear yet what companies will be required to do in the way of changes in processes and materials used."

OSHA AND SMALL BUSINESS

In recognition of the special challenges that often face small businesses—and the limited financial resources that they often have—the Occupational Safety and Health Administration administers a number of special programs specifically designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners provide a productive yet safe environment for their employees.

Among the special programs that OSHA has instituted for small businesses are the following:

• Penalty Reduction—OSHA may grant reductions of 60 percent for employers with 25 employees or fewer; 40 percent if the employer has 26-100 employees; and 20 percent if the employer has 101-250 employees.
• Penalty Reductions for Good Faith—OSHA has the option of granting a 25 percent penalty reduction if a small business has instituted an effective safety and health program for its employees.
• Flexible Requirements—OSHA gives smaller firms greater flexibility in certain safety areas in recognition of their limited resources (i.e., lead in construction, emergency evacuation plans, process safety management).
• Reduced Paperwork Requirements—OSHA has fewer recordkeeping requirements for very small business. Employers with 10 or fewer employees are exempt from most OSHA recordkeeping requirements for recording and reporting occupational injuries and illnesses.
• Consultation Program—While not limited to small businesses, OSHA on-site consultation program has been particularly helpful to smaller companies (small firms accounted for about 40 percent of the program during the mid-1990s). This service, which is run by state agencies, provides businesses with the option of requesting a free on-site consultation with a state representative who helps them identify potential workplace hazards and improve or implement effective workplace safety and health programs.
• Training Grants—OSHA awards grant money to non-profit groups for the development of programs designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners establish safety and health guidelines for their companies.

• Mentoring—OSHA and the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants Association (VPPA) operate a mentoring program to help small firms applying for entry into VPP refine their health and safety programs. The VPP is an OSHA program that is intended to recognize a firm's safety and health achievements. This mentoring program matches applicants with VPP members (often in the same or a related industry) who can help by sharing their experience with and knowledge about workplace safety and health programs.

In addition to these federal level programs, many states have their own federally approved safety and health standards and these states often provide additional programs of assistance to small businesses.

The Value of Consultation Programs

OSHA and business consultants alike encourage small business owners to take advantage of available consultation programs. A comprehensive consultation can provide small business owners with a wide variety of information that can help ensure that they are in compliance with regulatory requirements.

Consultations will typically include appraisal of all mechanical and environmental hazards and physical work practices; appraisal of the firm's present job safety and health program; conference with management on findings; written report of recommendations and agreements; and training and assistance with implementing recommendations. "The consultant will then review detailed findings with you in a closing conference," noted OSHA. "You [the business owner] will learn not only what you need to improve, but also what you are doing right. At that time you can discuss problems, possible solutions and abatement periods to eliminate or control any serious hazards identified during the walk-through'¦. The consultant can help you establish or strengthen an employee safety and health program, making safety and health activities routine considerations rather than crisis-oriented responses."