Worksite complaints increased, while OSHA inspections fell
Remote inspections may have led to hazards being unidentified, leaving employees vulnerable, Labor Dept. OIG report found.
Between February 1 and October 26, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) conducted 50% fewer workplace inspections compared with the same period the year prior. Meanwhile, the administration saw a 15% increase in complaints, according to a report by the Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG).
These two factors, combined with more reliance on less thorough remote inspections, subjected employees to greater safety risks, OIG reported. Further, OSHA did not track whether inspections were performed onsite or remote. The inspector general noted it is important to track remote inspections to “determine their frequency and timeliness for identifying and ensuring abatement of worksite hazards.”
Where OSHA did perform inspections, it issued 295 violations from 176 COVID-related inspections, while state plans found 1,678 violations from 756 COVID-related inspections.
While some sectors, such as Wisconsin’s papermaking industry, have applauded OSHA’s efforts through a difficult time, other high-risk industries, including health care and meat processing, have voiced concerns that OSHA guidance fell short of providing the level of protection workers need, the report concluded.
Although inspections were reduced, an uptick in non-formal complaint investigation was seen. These investigations cover complaints that don’t meet certain criteria that would trigger an on-site inspection, OIG explained. In these situations, OSHA calls the employer to describe the alleged hazard and follows up with a fax, email or letter addressing the hazard.
OIG recommendations
To lower employees’ exposure to safety risks, OIG made the following four recommendations:
- Improve the inspection strategy by prioritizing very high and high-risk employers for COVID-19-related onsite inspections.
- Ensure remote inspections are tracked retroactively to February 1, 2020, and continue doing so moving forward.
- Compare remote inspections to onsite inspections, and document analysis concern frequency and timeliness of inspectors in identifying and ensuring abatement of hazards.
- Consider if an infectious disease-specific emergency temporary standard is necessary to control the spread of COVID as employees return to the workplace.
OSHA agreed with the inspector general’s four recommendations, and OIG reported the administration has already started retroactively coding remote COVID inspections to February 1, 2020.
Further, OSHA is looking to update its guidance as a result of an executive order from President Joe Biden, although the administration has missed its initial deadline.
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