Labor & Employment Law Update

Numerous employers can verify first hand that OSHA is actively fulfilling the promise it made a few years ago, “to get back in the enforcement business.”  In recent years, we have seen increased enforcement activity, including a significant increase in OSHA site inspections.  There is no indication OSHA’s ramped up inspection activity will slow down any time soon.  In fact, last month, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced its current rulemaking activity and OSHA topped the list with the most rulemaking activity within the DOL.  This, coupled with OSHA’s new reporting requirements for 2015, requiring that employers report to OSHA all incidents requiring in-patient treatment for just one employee, signals that 2015 will likely be OSHA’s busiest year to date.

Understanding the OSHA inspection process and having a plan for when the OSHA inspector arrives on your doorstep is critical.  Now is the time to arm your workforce with the tools necessary to effectively respond to OSHA, as we are certain the number of OSHA site inspections in 2015 will only increase.  The enclosed step by step guide was created to be used as an aid in training your workforce and to consult as a reference guide when faced with an actual inspection.