Thoughts (and advice) from a former OSHA inspector

摘要

Former OSHA inspector Terry Carroll, the principal of Enviroworld Consulting, LLC - whose clients include wire and cable companies-shares his unique perspective. He can be reached at tel. 314-640-0756, tc4157@gmail.com, www.enviroworldconsulting.com. Today's challenges related to Covid-19 exposure have rightfully dominated the need for safety, but I believe that it's very important for organizations not to let up on other potential safety hazards. I will provide some context to the issue of safety associated with OSHA, an agency that some people feel is out to get them. While I cannot speak for OSHA or their staffers, I can say that was never me. My 30-year career has largely been in health and safety. For a decade, I worked for the federal government as a safety and health manager/OSHA compliance officer, and for the last 20 years I worked in the private sector. I've dealt with wire and cable industry companies so I'd like to give you a feel for what it was like to be an OSHA inspector. Also, below are two stories to share. Each day was different. I was often asked to investigate complaints about potential violations that could involve fall hazards, hazardous materials, unguarded machine pinch points, respiratory protection, etc. I covered many different industries and settings, from new operations to old-world plants, and ones that did a lot of manufacturing. I never went to a plant with the intention of citing a long list of violations. What I did was a thorough inspection to look for potential hazards and help prevent accidents. I checked paperwork. I followed the process. Any well-trained OSHA inspector should be able to detect shortcomings. After 10 years, I started my safety and health consultancy company. More than 20 years later, my role is very similar: I still look for potential hazards in the workplace, and believe that I have prevented some accidents. In my consulting role, I help companies before they get into trouble that can lead to an OSHA fine. I can help companies financially, because accidents hurt both employees and the company's profitability. I like being able to solve problems before they happen. Some people appreciate the accident that didn't happen.