UA SafeState Consultation Services:
An onsite safety and health consultation is an excellent way to learn more about how to identify, correct, and prevent workplace hazards.
UA SafeState provides a variety of consultative services using highly-trained consultants capable of evaluating safety and health issues within Alabama industries. Our consultants and industrial hygienists have extensive experience in identifying physical hazards and providing cost effective suggestions for correction, and are able to perform air and noise exposure monitoring to help you determine appropriate control solutions.
Who Qualifies?
Small employers (less than 250 or fewer employees at the site, 500 or less corporate) will receive priority scheduling and are eligible for full service assistance.
An employer may request a full service visit or limit the request to address only specific needs.
Full Service Visits – Include a review of applicable records, a walk through of the facility to evaluate potential or existing hazards, and an evaluation of the company’s safety and health program management system. The visit may last several hours to several days (multiple visits) depending on the work to be done.
The Consultation Procedure
- The consultation begins with an opening conference to determine the scope of the visit and explain the consultation process in detail.
- During a tour of your facility, our safety and health consultants will evaluate the production processes and facilities. Potential and observed hazards may be identified.
- Health and safety conditions present in the workplace are evaluated by use of appropriate monitoring methods and testing instruments.
- A closing conference is held to review the observed safety and health hazards and to suggest corrective measures and improvement where necessary in the employer’s safety and health programs.
- The consultant prepares a technical report that evaluates the site and safety and health management plan, describes any observed hazards, referencing applicable standards and makes recommendations for correction and/or control measures.
Onsite visits may be categorized as:
Voluntary Compliance
Our consultants are prepared to help you identify and address potential safety and health hazards in your work environment. At your request, we can
- Review your OSHA-required safety and health programs and/or assist you with their preparation
- Perform walk through surveys to point out safety and health hazards
- Perform industrial hygiene monitoring, including air and noise surveys
- Assess the safety and health management system
- Provide informal training to workers, supervisors or management
Technical Abatement and Assistance
An employer may request limited assistance in correcting a hazard previously cited by OSHA during an enforcement inspection. The assistance may include evaluation of an existing or newly installed control, or providing suggestions for feasible solutions to controlling the hazard and continued prevention of employee exposure.
Safety & Health Program Management System Assessment
Consultants may evaluate the effectiveness of a company’s Safety and Health program management system. Using a validated assessment tool, seven major elements are reviewed:
- Hazard Anticipation & Detection
- Hazard Prevention & Control
- Planning & Evaluation
- Administration & Supervision
- Safety & Health Training
- Management Leadership
- Employee Participation
An effective safety and health program management system is an asset to your company. It will reduce the number of accidents by reducing the risk of illnesses and injuries to employees, reduce the recurrence of identified hazards, and change the culture of the workplace to work safe and smart.
Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP)
SHARP is a special recognition program for small employers who have successfully:
- Corrected all safety and health hazards identified by Safe State
- Maintained a lost workday rate lower than their industry’s national average
- Implemented an effective safety and health program capable of preventing the recurrence of workplace hazards
Employers that meet all of these criteria may request nomination into SHARP. If accepted, the Director of Safe State will submit a recommendation to the OSHA Regional Office. Upon approval, the company is awarded a SHARP certificate recognizing the company’s exemplary safety and health program achievement. The company is then removed from OSHA’s general programmed inspection list for a period of up to two years. SHARP is renewable on a multi-year basis if all conditions of the program continue to be met.
Training
Formal or informal training may be provided to employers who request onsite consultation assistance. Training is usually directed toward improvement of the company’s safety and health management system.