Webmasters Comments - In this article "OSHA" and "OSHA Compliance Officer" refer to the Federal OSHA. Your state may have its own approved OSHA programs. The folling guidelines may vary.

The sure fire way to prepared for an OSHA inspection is to relentlessly stress the importance of employee safety. Managers and employees have to be committed to safety and safety programs. Effective safety programs must have an explicit written system in place which holds one person responsible for implementing and monitoring and fostering the program(s).

Common questions which are asked by quite a few employers are, "What rights does OSHA have when entering into this facility?" As well as, "What rights and responsibilities do I/we have as a business when OSHA comes?"

These guidelines will help you through an OSHA inspection:

OSHA Has the Authority to Inspect
OSHA is been empowered by the Occupational Safety & Health Act to conduct inspections at your workplace. Each establishment covered by the S&H Act is subject to an OSHA inspection by their compliance safety and health officers. Also, states which have their own occupational safety and health programs conduct inspections utilizing qualified safety compliance inspectors.

Under the S&H Act, "Upon presentation of appropriate credentials to the manager, owner or personnel in charge," the OSHA compliance inspector is empowered to:

1. "Enter your facility without delay and at reasonable times any factory, plant, establishment, construction site or other areas, workplace, or environment where work is performed by an employee or an employer."

2. "Inspect and investigate during normal business hours, as well as other reasonable times within reasonable limits and within a reasonable manner. Any such place of employment and all pertinent structures, structures, apparatus, machines, devices, materials and equipment therein, and to privately question any employee, employer, manager, owner,  agent or operator."

The Reality of it all!

Starting at this very moment and from this point forward, be truthful with yourself and accept the fact that OSHA can knock at your door now or at any point in the future. Take this opportunity (if you haven’t been inspected yet) and do what is within your power to work toward compliance in every area that you possibly can. As employers, we are not oblivious to what is required of us by OSHA. So DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT STARTING NOW! Putting it off any further will not do you or your employees any good.

Knowledge is Power!

Understanding and knowing your rights and responsibilities as an employer before, during and after an inspection can make the process run more smoothly, make your worksite safer and even reduce your chances of getting a citation.

Read this article on the OSHA Inspection Process