Osha Help For New Businesses

INFORMATION DATE 19910805

DESCRIPTION USDOL Program Highlights for New Businesses

SUBJECT OSHA Help for new businesses

ABSTRACT A booklet designed specifically to help small businesses comply with OSHA requirements is available through the OSHA Publications Office. It is entitled 'OSHA Handbook for Small Businesses' (OSHA 2209). A catalog, 'OSHA Publications and Audiovisual Programs,' (OSHA 2019), is available through the OSHA Publications Office. A kit containing 'free' OSHA publications may be obtained by writing or telephoning the OSHA Headquarters, Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210 (telephone (202) 219-8021) or through the OSHA Regional Offices.

U.S. Department of Labor

Program Highlight

Fact Sheet No. OSHA 91-43

OSHA HELP FOR NEW BUSINESSES

This fact sheet will give you-the employer starting a new business- basic information about OSHA requirements and additional publications to assist you in complying with those requirements.

As an employer, you are responsible under the Occupational Safety and Health Act to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to your employees. You must comply with standards, rules, and regulations issued by OSHA under the act. You must be familiar with the standards and make copies available to employees for review upon their request.

Copies of various OSHA standards may be purchased through the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone (202) 512-0000). Payment may be made by check, GPO Deposit Account, VISA, or MasterCard.

OSHA's regulations are contained in Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations Parts 1900-1999. Standards covering General Industry are in two volumes: 29 CFR Parts 1901. 1 to 1910. 441, GPO Order No. S/N 869-011- 00109-2; and 29 CFR Parts 1910. 1000 to end, GPO Order No. S/N 869-011- 00110-6. Standards covering the Construction Industry are in 29 CFR Part 1926, GPO Order No. S/N 869-011-00112-2. In addition, there is a combined volume of Construction Industry and General Industry standards affecting the Construction Industry -- 29 CFR Parts 1926/1910 (OSHA 2207), GPO Order No. 029-016-00122-1. Standards covering the Maritime Industry are in 29 CFR Parts 1911 to 1925, GPO Order No. 869-007-00110-9.

Most employers of 11 or more employees are required to maintain records of occupational injuries and illnesses as they occur.

Employers with 10 or fewer employees and employers regardless of size in certain industries are exempt from keeping such records unless they are selected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to participate in the Annual Survey of occupational injuries and illnesses.

OSHA recordkeeping is not required for employers in retail trade, finance, insurance, real estate, and service industries-Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 52-89 (except building materials and garden supplies, SIC 52; general merchandise and food stores, SIC 53 and 54; hotels and other lodging places, SIC 70; repair services, SIC 75 and 76; amusement and recreation services, SIC 79; and health services, SIC 80).

Two forms are needed for recordkeeping: OSHA No. 200, Log and Summary of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and OSHA No. 101, Supplementary Record of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. Employers selected for the BLS survey receive a form, OSHA 200S, in the mail.

Copies of OSHA recordkeeping forms and publications on the recordkeeping requirements are available through the OSHA Publications Office, Room N-3101, Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210 (telephone (202) 219-8021). The publications are 'A Brief Guide to Recordkeeping Requirements for Occupational Injuries and Illnesses' and 'Recordkeeping Requirements Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.'

Every employer must post in a prominent location in the workplace the Job Safety and Health Protection workplace poster (OSHA 2203 or state equivalent) which informs employees of their rights and responsibilities under the Act. The poster may be obtained through the OSHA Publications Office.

The OSHA Hazard Communication Standard requires employers to inform their workers of the potential dangers of any chemical hazards on the job, and to train them in proper safeguards. This includes information on the hazards and identities of chemicals they are exposed to when working and the protective measures available to prevent adverse effects.

Employers who use the chemicals, rather than produce or import them, are not required to evaluate the hazards of those chemicals. Hazard determination is the responsibility of the producers and importers of the materials, who then must provide the hazard information to employers who purchase their products. All employers must have a written workplace compliance program.

Copies of the Hazard Communication Standard and the publication, 'Chemical Hazard Communication,' (OSHA 3084 Revised) are available through the OSHA Publications Office. Another publication, 'Hazard Communication Guidelines for Compliance,' (OSHA 3111) can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone (202) 512-0000). It is GPO Order No. 029-016-00127-1.

A compliance kit on the standard with more detailed information and can be used for filing the employer's hazard communication and training programs, material safety data sheets (MSDSs), requests for MSDSs, and training or other records can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402-9325 (telephone (202) 512-0000). It is GPO Order No. 929-022-0000- 9 (OSHA 3104 Hazard Communication Compliance Kit).

OSHA conducts workplace inspections to enforce its standards. Every establishment covered by the Act is subject to inspection by OSHA compliance safety and health officers, who are chosen for their knowledge and experience in the occupational safety and health field. A booklet, 'OSHA Inspections,' (OSHA 2098) is available through the OSHA Publications Office.

OSHA has 10 Regional Offices. A list of those office addresses and telephone numbers, (OSHA Program Highlights No. 91-41), is available through the OSHA Publications Office.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act encourages states to develop and operate their own job safety and health plans. OSHA approves and monitors these state plans and provides up to 50 percent of an approved plan's operating costs. States must set job safety and health standards at least as effective as comparable federal standards. (Most states adopt standards identical to federal ones. )Now 23 states or jurisdictions operate complete state plans covering both the private sector and state and local government employees. Two others, Connecticut and New York, cover public employees only. A fact sheet, 'State Job Safety and Health Programs,' (OSHA Program Highlights No. 15) is available through the OSHA Publications Office.

Employers who want help in recognizing and correcting hazards and in improving safety and health programs can get it from a free consultation service largely funded by OSHA and administered by State governments using expert staffs. A booklet, 'Consultation Services for the Employer,' (OSHA 3047) is available through the OSHA Publications Office.

Training courses in safety and health subjects are available to the private sector through the OSHA Training Institute, 1555 Times Dr., Des Plaines, IL 60018. For information on the subjects, dates, tuition, and location of these courses telephone the Institute Registrar (847) 803-4800) or write to the Institute.

A booklet designed specifically to help small businesses comply with OSHA requirements is available through the OSHA Publications Office. It is entitled 'OSHA Handbook for Small Businesses' (OSHA 2209).

A catalog, 'OSHA Publications and Audiovisual Programs,' (OSHA 2019), is available through the OSHA Publications Office.

A kit containing 'free' OSHA publications may be obtained by writing or telephoning the OSHA Publications Office, Room N-3101, Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210 (telephone (202) 219-8021) or through the OSHA Regional Offices.

This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 219-6666.