Expect to be inspected: Prepare now and avoid OSHA citations
'OSHA dissatisfied with the number of workplace fatalities, injuries.'
If you are not already taking a lead role in Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) compliance, we can give 100 new reasons to do so. That's the number of new compliance officers funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's 2010 budget.
In addition, the 2011 budget proposes hiring more inspectors and shifting current inspectors to enforcement. Citations with fines of $100,000 or more nearly tripled last year.
"OSHA continues to be dissatisfied with the number of workplace fatalities and injuries. You can expect more inspections and more citations. This will lead to higher financial exposures for companies," says Colleen Hasler, MS, RN, COHN-S, a risk manager at M3, a Madison, WI-based company specializing in health, safety and environmental risks.
For this reason, Hasler says that "taking a lead role in compliance is more critical for occupational health now than ever before."
To do this, though, you'll need to do more than simply understand OSHA regulations. To maintain compliance, you must be able to provide the necessary training and create and evaluate policies and procedures on an ongoing basis.
"Occupational health is already knowledgeable on the health side of safety. That is half of the OSHA compliance piece," says Hasler. "Digging into safety standards is very complementary. It is a continual learning curve."
More job security
Would you like to make yourself indispensible to senior leaders, even in a difficult economy? Then develop safety expertise.
"You will increase your presence and value with upper management and the executive team by being competent and comfortable in this area," says Hasler. "It will open up many avenues and professional opportunities." In addition to a Master's degree in nursing, Hasler also has one in safety.
Your clinical expertise is valuable for early identification, injury management and rehabilitation and injury prevention. Combine that with safety expertise, and you'll be in hot demand.
Hasler says that "there is a definite market out there" for occupational health professionals with safety expertise.
Expanding on the "traditional clinical role" of occupational health is becoming critical to job security. One growing trend is companies wanting to hire an occupational health nurse with safety knowledge. "Occupational health has a hard time getting to the upper management team as a business resource," says Hasler. "This can help you to do that." If you lack experience or knowledge on OSHA compliance, consider taking these steps:
Take a course or obtain certification.
Hasler recommends obtaining the Occupational Health Nursing Safety Management certification offered by the American Board of Occupational Health Nurses. "The American Society of Safety Engineers is welcoming nurses into their organization," she adds. (For more information, go to (For more information, go to http://www.abohn.org and www.asse.org).
Create a peer or liaison relationship with someone in a safety position.
"Occupational health can be a great resource to operations by participating in accident investigations and conducting ergonomic evaluations, says Hasler. "Typically, safety positions have been slow to include occupational health. This often appears to be a power issue."
Since Human Resources is usually responsible for worker's compensation insurance administration, ask to participate in worker's compensation claim review meetings. "This will expose you to the financial side of injury management," says Hasler.
It is also your opportunity to share valuable information on return to work. You can tell others whether an injured worker is expected to return to their original job, or if permanent restrictions are likely.
Offer to conduct safety training.
Share your expertise on blood borne pathogens, hazard communications, ergonomics, hearing conservation, personal protective equipment, respiratory protection and workplace violence. "This involvement will reduce the workload of the safety position," says Hasler.
Offer to conduct accident investigations.
This will give you a lead role in identifying hazards and noncompliance, such as identifying the reasons workers are not compliant in wearing required personal protective equipment, or the need to revise lockout/tagout training and procedures. "Take corrective actions for any potential hazards," says Hasler.
Volunteer to act as a resource to OSHA.
Providing outreach communications and training is an excellent opportunity to gain visibility in the business community at large. "OSHA routinely seeks speakers to reach out to targeted business sectors with known safety issues," says Hasler.
If you are not already taking a lead role in Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) compliance, we can give 100 new reasons to do so. That's the number of new compliance officers funded by the U.S. Department of Labor's 2010 budget.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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