Ohio Safety and Health Administration - Small Businesses

Ohio Safety& Health Administration's (OSHA)injury and; lower costs from workers'
goal is to prevent any avoidable injuries that couldcompensation.
occur on the job. This includes changing and addingHealth and Safety Programs
various regulations and policies that may haveThere are four programs offered by the OSHA
that has the potential to fix or reduces injuries atto help boost employees and employer's
work. OSHA takes into account the size of theawareness on safety matters. The first course is
business when resolving a penalty for a violation.the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition
Small businesses also have various programs toProgram (SHARP). SHARP is an on-site
help increase understanding of health and safetyconsultation that awards excellent employers who
matters.have gone above and beyond to promote safe
Advantages for Small Businessesworking conditions for its employees. The major
One of the biggest benefits is that the Fieldbenefit of this is that the company is excused
Inspection Reference Manual (FIRM) may reduce afrom OSHA's general inspections for one year.
business's penalties up to 60% depending on theThe next program is the Voluntary Protection
size. The percentage reduced is depended on thePrograms (VPP), which encourages organizations
number of people that are employed by ato pay close attention to the safety and health of
particular company. If a company has less than 26its employees. The VPP helps management, labor,
employees, it may receive the 60% reduction. Ifand OSHA to collaborate together in accomplishing
the company has between 26-100 employees thesafety and health strategies. The VPP and OSHA
reduction could be at 40% and between 101-250identify companies that have accomplished various
employees the reduction could be as high as 20%.strategies to prevent work-place hazards from
The final percentage off is still to the discretion ofoccurring.
the OSHA inspector.Compliance Assistance Specialists (CAS)
For very small businesses with less than elevencoordinates with a wide variety of businesses of
workers, the company is not obligated to follow allall sizes in accomplishing better safety procedures.
of the OSHA recordkeeping requirements. TheyCAS completes these issues by holding hands-on
are also excused from a large amount of thetraining and also classes to teach employees and
recording and reporting of work-related injuriesemployers various hazard avoidance techniques.
and illnesses.The last program is the Alliance Program. The goal
OSHA offers free consultation to assist inof the Alliance is educate employers and
recognizing potential workplace problems andemployees on correcting workplace injuries that
setting up new safety and health regulations forcould have been avoided all together. It is used to
the company. OSHA starts with industries thatget the employees and employers on the same
have high accidents rates. These consultations canpage in terms of prevention policies and improving
recommend solutions for a health problem; offersafety awareness.
information about safety and health findings; aid inThe last useful tool for eliminating and responding
producing a safety efficient management systemto safety mishaps is the OSHA Small Business
and; train the employees to avoid and distinguishHandbook. The book will inform employers on
potential safety issues.meeting the standards imposed by the OS Act of
The benefits of conducting a consultation include:1970. The handbook also includes industry
employees become more aware of the potentialchecklists to follow in order to easily recognize
hazards and safety issues; lower occurrences ofareas of improvement.