OSHA Consultation Program Analysis

This assignment requires an in-depth analysis of OSHA's Consultation Program. It asks students to evaluate the program's effectiveness by examining studies, surveys, and real-world examples. The focus is on understanding how the program helps small businesses improve their safety practices and reduce workplace hazards. Students are also expected to discuss the various methods used by OSHA to deliver consultation services, such as site visits, telephone conferencing, and training programs.

Running head: LEGAL ASPECTS OF SAFETY AND HEALTH
Discussion on OSHA guidelines
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1LEGAL ASPECTS OF SAFETYAND HEALTH
Benefits of OSHA alliances- The OSHA Alliance Program works with several groups
with the aim of providing safety to the workers and maintaining their health status by preventing
injuries, illnesses and fatalities. The program includes several consulates, professional and trade
organizations, educational institutions and unions that develop and formulate compliance
assistance resources and tools, while sharing relevant information with the employers and
educating them about their responsibilities and roles (Lamba, 2013). Thus, it creates several
health and safety products that help the employers to gain a sound understanding on the specific
hazards that may occur in the industry.
The pamphlet on electrical hazards informs the employee about the hazards associated
with work on aerial devices and also formulates guidelines (Zhang et al., 2013). The operator
training for aerial equipment pamphlet helps the workers identify training practices for operation
and inspection of aerial equipment. The potential hazards are identified by the fact sheet on
baggage tug and carts, thereby preventing accidents due to equipment or aircraft damage. Thus,
the program increases the access of the employers to effective workplace health and safety tools.
It also leverages resources for maximizing health protection and worker safety and establishes
progressive dialogue with the agencies for establishing worker rights, thereby giving benefits to
the employees (OSHA, 2013).
Procedure required for achieving STAR status- The Voluntary Protection Program (VPP)
partners with worksites and business by recognizing their excellence in maintaining occupational
health and safety. The sites that display commitment towards effective protecting of their
employees beyond the requirements of the proposed OSHA standards are given the star status
every three-five years. The primary objective of participating in the VPP instills a high degree of
awareness on safety for all employees (Howard & Hearl, 2012). There are three levels of

2LEGAL ASPECTS OF SAFETYAND HEALTH
participation that include demonstration, merit and star. Meeting the merit goal is considered
imperative for achieving the star status. Worksites that demonstrate good health management and
safety provisions, in combination with the commitment to meet the goals tailored for each site
are better suited for achieving the star status.
On-site evaluations assess the star eligibility requirements and performance. Therefore,
an industry or worksite should demonstrate exemplary practice in comprehensive and successful
management of health and safety systems in their setting (Brackey, 2013). It is essential for the
companies to achieve an injury and illness rate below the national average for the respective
industries. The companies should also be self-sufficient for controlling workplace hazards. An
annual evaluation of the incident rates and re-evaluation every 3-5 years helps in conferring the
star status (OSHA, 2009).
OSHA voluntary cooperative program for small business that prints letterheads- The On-
site consultation program can be utilised by a small business that prints letterheads and business
card. This program will offer confidential and free occupational health and safety advice. It will
emphasise on preventing hazards at the worksites. Consultation by using the program will help
employers to identify the potential hazards at their worksites. It will also create provisions for
improving health hazard prevention strategies that already exist at their place (Mendeloff &
Gray, 2012). The company may also qualify for a 1 year exemption for the routine inspections by
OSHA. The consultation will be delivered by well trained staff from the state government, on-
site and will make use of limited services that are available at the workplace.
The consultation will maintain confidentiality in terms of the company and all
information related to the workplace (Autenrieth et al., 2015). Furthermore, the unhealthful and

3LEGAL ASPECTS OF SAFETYAND HEALTH
unsafe working conditions that exist in the organization will also not be during the routine
OSHA inspection. The company is also eligible for the Safety and Health Achievement
Recognition Program (SHARP) that will place it in an elite group of small companies that
maintain exemplary illness and injury prevention strategies. It will help in building a reputation,
providing protection and creating a better working environment (OSHA, 2013).
Role of challenge administrators- The OSHA Challenge was launched in the form of a
pilot program in 2009 for helping workers and employees work in partnership with designated
challenge administrators with the aim of improving and developing health and safety
management programs. Criteria for challenge administrators include presence of a nonprofit
corporation demonstrating experience and knowledge in health and safety management programs
(Kastrinsky, 2013). The challenge administrators are responsible sponsoring specific number of
participants who are considered eligible by the OSHA guidelines. The administrators have the
responsibility of sponsoring at least 10 participants and serve as the primary point of contact of
the former and OSHA. Their duties also involve appointing coordinators for managing and
assisting activities of the selected participants.
These administrators also guide the participants through a series of well structured stages
that helps the latter to make incremental improvements in the health and safety management
system (Dudley & Morriss, 2015). The challenge administrators also have the responsibility of
reporting on the progress demonstrated by the challenge participants on a periodic basis. They
mentor the participants through the challenge stages by delivering technical assistance and
support. Verifications are also performed through document reviews, site visits and telephone
conferencing for determining whether the participants have met the stage requirements (OSHA,
2004).

4LEGAL ASPECTS OF SAFETYAND HEALTH
References
Autenrieth, D. A., Brazile, W. J., Gilkey, D. P., Reynolds, S. J., June, C., & Sandfort, D. (2015).
Client perceptions of occupational health and safety management system assistance
provided by OSHA on-site consultation: results of a survey of Colorado small business
consultation clients. Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene, 12(11), 804-
817.
Brackey, A. C. (2013). Process safety management: 21 years plus or minus: What i wish i'd
known then and what we can't afford to forget now!. Process Safety Progress, 32(3), 260-
263.
Dudley, S. E., & Morriss, A. P. (2015). Will the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration's Proposed Standards for Occupational Exposure to Respirable
Crystalline Silica Reduce Workplace Risk?. Risk Analysis, 35(7), 1191-1196.
HOwArd, J., & HeArl, F. (2012). Occupational Safety and Health in the USA: Now and the
Future. Industrial health, 50(2), 80-83.
Kastrinsky, H. M. (2013). EEOC Issues Draft of 2012–2016 Strategic Plan• IRS Provides
Guidance for Determining Full‐Time Status for Purposes of Affordable Care Act• DOL
Tip Credit Regulations Survive Court Challenge• DOL Issues New FMLA Guidebook•
OSHA Revises Whistleblower Procedures• New Fair Credit Reporting Form Goes into
Effect. Employment Relations Today, 39(4), 53-58.
Lamba, A. (2013). Practice designing out hazards in the real world. Professional Safety, 58(1),
34.

5LEGAL ASPECTS OF SAFETYAND HEALTH
Mendeloff, J., & Gray, W. (2012). OSHA does not kill jobs; It helps prevent jobs from killing
workers. American journal of industrial medicine, 55, 961-963.
Occupational safety and health administration directorate of cooperative and state
programs, . (2004). OSHA Challenge Pilot. Retrieved from
https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/osha-challenge-pilot.pdf
Occupational safety and health administration directorate of cooperative and state
programs, . (2009). Voluntary Protection Programs. Retrieved from
https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/factsheet-vpp.pdf
Occupational safety and health administration directorate of cooperative and state
programs, . (2013). The OSHA Alliance Program . Retrieved from
https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/factsheet-alliance.pdf
Occupational safety and health administration directorate of cooperative and state
programs, . (2013). The OSHA Consultation Program. Retrieved from
https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/factsheet-consultations.pdf
Zhang, S., Teizer, J., Lee, J. K., Eastman, C. M., & Venugopal, M. (2013). Building information
modeling (BIM) and safety: Automatic safety checking of construction models and
schedules. Automation in Construction, 29, 183-195.