Benefits and Resources
OSHA’s Free On-site Consultation Program
OSHA’s free On-site Consultation Program offers free and confidential advice to
small and medium-sized businesses in all states across the country, with
priority given to high-hazard worksites. On-site Consultation services are
separate from enforcement and do not result in penalties or citations.
Consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers to identify
workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance with OSHA standards, and assist
in establishing injury and illness prevention programs.
Read more about OSHA’s
free On-site Consultation Program.
Compliance Assistance Specialists (CAS)
Each OSHA Area Office in states under federal jurisdiction has a Compliance
Assistance Specialist. These staffers respond to requests for help from a
variety of groups, including small businesses. CAS’s put on seminars and
workshops for small businesses and other groups. They promote OSHA’s cooperative
programs, OSHA’s training resources, and the OSHA web site. To read more about
Compliance Assistance Specialists and find a directory of CAS’s in your area,
click here.
Penalty Reductions
OSHA takes employer size into consideration when assessing penalties. Please see the OSHA Administrative Penalty Information Bulletin for additional information on small employer eligibility for penalty reductions.
OSHA’s Cooperative Programs
OSHA offers
cooperative programs under which businesses, labor
groups, and other organizations can work cooperatively with the Agency to help
prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses in the workplace. For help on
deciding which cooperative programs are right for you, see
Find a Cooperative
Program. If you are located in a State with an
OSHA-approved State Plan, please
contact your state agency for information about cooperative programs. All States
with OSHA-approved programs have their own cooperative programs.
Hispanic/English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) Coordinators
OSHA's Hispanic/English-As-Second-Language (ESL) Coordinators assist a variety
of groups, including small businesses, trade associations, union locals, and
community and faith-based groups with outreach, education and training to
Spanish-speaking workers. The coordinators are available for Hispanic-related
seminars, workshops, and speaking events. They promote cooperative programs,
such as the Alliance Program, as well as Spanish/other than English training
materials, compliance assistance resources, and tools available on the OSHA
Web site. There is one Hispanic/ESL Coordinator in each of the ten OSHA
Regions. To find the Diverse Workforce/LEP Coordinator in your Region,
click here.
Training and Education
OSHA’s Training Institute (OTI) and
OSHA’s Training Education Centers across the
country provide basic and advanced courses in safety and health. OSHA’s area
offices offer information services, such as audiovisual aids, technical advice,
and speakers for special engagements. In addition, the Training Centers have
begun offering one-day or one-half-day seminars to increase opportunities for
small business employers to attend safety/health training.
Susan Harwood Training Grants Program
- Training and educational programs for
small businesses is a priority for the grants program. The program has funded
Small Business Development Centers.
Electronic Tools and Resources
OSHA eTools are "stand-alone", interactive, Web-based training tools on
occupational safety and health topics. They are highly illustrated and utilize
graphical menus. Some also use expert system modules, which enable the user to
answer questions, and receive reliable advice on how OSHA regulations apply to
their work site.
OSHA Safety and Health Topics Pages provide access to selected occupational
safety and health information. The subjects of these pages include specific
workplace hazards, as well as individual industries.
OSHA's Compliance Assistance Quick Start is a tool to introduce employers
and employees, especially those at new or small businesses, to the compliance
assistance resources on OSHA’s website.
OSHA's $afety Pays Program
is an interactive expert system to assist employers in estimating the costs of
occupational injuries and illnesses and the impact on a company's profitability.
This system uses a company's profit margin, the AVERAGE costs of an injury or
illness, and an indirect cost multiplier to project the amount of sales a
company would need to generate in order to cover those costs.
Frequently Cited OSHA Standards is a query tool which allows the user to
determine the most frequently cited Federal and State OSHA standards for a given
SIC code. The SIC code may be determined by accessing the online SIC Manual.
Publications
OSHA has many publications, including
specific topics for small businesses that
are available or can be
ordered online.