OSHA To Stop Counting Inspections

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced last week that it will shift it focus from counting the number of inspections it performs to conducting more complex and thorough inspections. So, what does this change mean for the nation's 28+ million employers?

It's estimated that OSHA currently performs about 40,000 inspections per year, give or take a couple thousand. Normally, the Administration keeps records of these inspections so it can optimize its operations for greater efficiency. If it slacks off one year, it can make up for the difference the following year by conducting more inspections. This method may soon change, however, thanks to the new changes being made in OSHA's operations.

While speaking at the annual National Safety Council Congress & Expo, OSHA Assistant Secretary of Labor David Michaels said a new enforcement strategy was being implemented in which OSHA no longer keeps track of how many inspections it performs, instead focusing on the quality of its inspections.

"I think you’ll see more complex inspections and I think those end up being the more impactful inspections, especially because we haven’t spent as much time and resources focused on those areas,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor David Michaels.

What exactly constitutes a "complex inspection" in the eyes of OSHA? Michaels didn't provide clarification on his definition of a complex inspection, but other sources have said that these types of inspections will involve chemical exposures, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), workplace violence, and similar incidents in which there is a high risk of injury and/or fatality to workers.

With that said, Michaels reiterated the fact that OSHA will continue to exercise its General Duty Clause (GDC) in cases where the employer fails to provide adequate protection for his or her employees. As you may already know, the GDC is a catch-all rule that requires all U.S.-based employers to provide a safe working environment for their employees. OSHA has dozens if not hundreds of rules and standards that dictate the way in which employers must ensure their employees' safety, but the GDC is more of a blanket rule that's used to fill the gaps of workplace safety.

What do you think of OSHA's new stance on inspection counting?