Unfortunately, many people think they know about the consequences of an OSHA inspection gone wrong, but they don’t. This can have dire consequences financially or even criminally. Understanding the rights and responsibilities of everyone involved is critical to legally effective management of an OSHA site visit, and the scope of inspection and response is generally dictated by the triggering event.
OSHA has two main categories of inspection: programmed (site-specific targeting and national emphasis programs) and un-programmed (event-driven, including “plain view” and “imminent danger” sightings by an inspector, hazard and whistleblower complaints, severe injury/illness and fatality reports, and professional referrals that can include reports by hospitals, safety professionals, the EPA and even the USDA).