OSHA FAQ

There are some unsafe working conditions at my workplace, can you help me?
The onsite OSHA Consultation Program operated by the Division of Labor is a voluntary program conducted only at the request of the employer. If you, as an employee, have a complaint and do not feel you can take the concern to your supervisor, you should contact OSHA enforcement at (800) 321-6742 or (304) 347-5937.

How can an employer request a consultation?
An employer can request a consultation by phone, fax, in writing or online. Once we receive the request, the consultant assigned will make direct contact with the employer to schedule the onsite visit.

Do you charge for the consultation? Are there citations and penalties for violations?
There is no direct cost to the employer for the services performed by the consultation staff as these are covered by a grant from the United States Department of Labor. There may be costs incurred in correcting deficiencies or violations.

As a consultation program, we do not issue citations and penalties. In fact, we use the term identify rather than cite hazards.

What if I can't get the hazards corrected in the timeframe agreed upon?
There are provisions for requesting extensions to correcting identified hazards. The consultant will explain the procedure during the opening conference and again in the written report. We can grant extensions for extenuating circumstances for up to 30 days at a time.