OSHA Compliance Guide
Welcome to James G Parker Insurance Associates' compliance & safety do-it-yourself guide. The links on this page are designed to help small business owners simplify OSHA and safety compliance into an organized, simple, and easy to implement guide.
Step One: Required Wage & Safety Postings
“In California, all employers must meet workplace posting obligations. Workplace postings are usually available at no cost from the requiring agency. The Department of Industrial Relations requires employers to post information related to wages, hours, and working conditions in an area frequented by employees where it may be easily read during the workday.”
Step Two: Implement a Written IIPP
“Employers in California are required to have an effective written Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP). The benefits of an effective IIPP include improved workplace safety and health, better morale, increased productivity, and reduced costs of doing business.”
Step Three: A Thorough Premises and Operational Hazard Inspection
Business owners or designated employees should conduct regular documented premises walkthroughs. They should assess their workplace and business processes for any hazard or condition that might cause or lead to an employee injury. It is also important to address, train on, and/or correct any conditions that are found in order to reduce the chance of a workplace injury. Always remember to document the actions taken to correct, address, or train on hazards in the workplace.
Step Four: Regular Documented Safety Meetings
“For Employers with fewer than 20 employees who are in industries that are not on a designated list of high-hazard industries established by the Department of Industrial Relations (Department) and who have a Workers’ Compensation Experience Modification Rate of 1.1 or less, and for any employers with fewer than 20 employees who are in industries on a designated list of low-hazard industries established by the Department, written documentation of the Program may be limited to the following requirements:
A. Written documentation of the identity of the person or persons with authority and responsibility for implementing the program as required by subsection (a)(1).
B. Written documentation of scheduled periodic inspections to identify unsafe conditions and work practices as required by subsection (a)(4).
C. Written documentation of training and instruction as required by subsection (a)(7).”
Safety Meeting Topics:
Step Five: Additional Written High Hazard Safety Programs if Applicable
1. Heat Illness Prevention
2. Lockout/Tagout Program
“Affected employee. For the purpose of this section, an employee whose job requires them to operate or use a machine or equipment on which cleaning, repairing, servicing, setting-up, or adjusting operations are being performed under lockout or tagout, or whose job requires the employee to work in an area in which such activities are being performed under lockout or tagout.”
3. Hazard Communication Program
“The purpose of this section is to ensure that the hazards of all chemicals produced or imported are classified and that information concerning the classified hazards is transmitted to employers and employees. The requirements of this section are intended to be consistent with the provisions of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS), Revision 3. The transmittal of information is to be accomplished by means of comprehensive hazard communication programs, which are to include container labeling and other forms of warning, safety data sheets, and employee training.”
OSHA Hazard Communication (Globally Harmonized System – GHS)