Inspections and Types

Types of Inspections

Programmed

• For a list of the current year's General Schedule lists, go to: H:\General Schedule Lists

Unprogrammed

As the name suggests, unprogrammed inspections are those inspections where an external party or event created the need for an investigation to occur. This includes internal referrals between Safety and Health.

Here are the stimuli for unprogrammed inspections:

• Complaint
• Referral
• Imminent Danger
• Accident
• Fatality
• Catastrophe

NOTE: Signed employee and employer statements for evidence on Accidents, Fatalities, and Catastrophes.

Complaints

A complaint alleging safety and/or health violations in an employee's workplace is the most frequent stimulus for opening an OSH investigation. There are two types of complaints: formal and informal.

A formal complaint, as defined by statute, must be mailed or faxed with the signature of a current employee (or employee representative) accompanying the description of the alleged violation. Not all formal complaints lead to a full investigation for reasons including, but not necessarily limited to, extra-jurisdictional worksites; complaint items not related to occupational safety and health; and complaint items not qualified as serious enough to warrant a full investigation.

An informal complaint is a complaint submitted by someone who either states they are not (or do not represent) a current employee or is determined not to be such.

Our Procedures

• Contact the complainant within days of opening. (per Mike, Email 1/10/14)

• Note on complaint form (OSH-7) and casefile diary when you contacted them. (per Mike, Email 1/10/14)

• Keep the complainant informed. (per Mike, Email 1/10/14)

Accidents/Fatalities/Catastrophes

A training resource is available on the OSHA Extranet at Accident Investigation Summary Training. As the description on the page states, "This training was developed to assist area offices in providing training on the OSHA-170."

Following forms apply:

• OSHA-36
  • Fat/Cat Report
• OSHA-170
  • Investigation Summary

"[T]hat is what they’re calling the OSHA-36 FAT/CAT form.  The OSHA-170 (Investigation Summary Form) has to be completed if there is an OSHA-36 completed.  They’ve stuck that form on an Investigation tab on the Accident/Event page." (per Diane's email)

Reporting Requirements

• Within eight (8) hours of the death of any employee from a work-related incident, a report of the death must be made orally, either in-person or over the phone.

Our Procedures

• Contact next of kin as soon as possible after opening inspection.

Multi-Employer Worksites

• Complete the MEW worksheet to determine Creating, Controlling, Exposing, and Correcting employers.
• At the beginning of the report, add “Related Contractors Identification” sheet.  Details related employers and inspection #’s.

Casefile Organization

• [Insert information concerning where to place originals and where to place copies of items such as sampling sheets, rough work notes, programs, etc.  Whether to make references to other reports instead of copies…?]

State/City/County Governments

Notification to Supervisor, Program Manager, and Director

• Email notification is required so that all management personnel are fully informed in case of inter-agency or outside contact. (per Hutcherson's email 10/4/13)
• Provide agency name, physical location, and the nature of the inspection.