OSHA PEOPLE

[hot rod]

i,ve had a lot of osha safty people inspect job sites over the yrs, and all have been nice to deal with, except this one, guy and gal walk in to the office, all the site foremans are in the trailer . the guys first line to start the meeting, he gets his card out, flashes it around, then the fun starts, he tells us, i am osha safty inspecter , i can do what every i want ,and when i want ,i am just like the FBI only difference i get paid less, and explains his position.(it was an eye opener) then asks who wants to go first, no one jumps to be first, so like a dumb ass, i told him i get off in 1/2 an hr . lets go, so he tells me he.s video taping our conversation, i refuse, that i,m not a criminal and have done nothing wrong, found out that boy had a temper, anyway, the gal steps in and say,s she will take me and the guy could take the next guy, she tells me the same, i explain again, no video untill she finds me in the wrong, i,m not a crook, ( she was very nice about it). then the yelling starts in the next room with this guy and another foreman. on the job, ( he refused the video). back to me and the gal, as she asked questions, every 6 or 7 th question would be worded a little differently than one prior, i explained i already answered that question earlier, this happened a few more times, asked her why she asks the same question again and again rewording it, she say,s just to check if your answers stay the same, when we get do get done, she does apoligise for the other inspector, i also opoligise, saying every one has a bad day, but 40 plus yrs in the trade and only one encounter like this could be clasified as a memory, (but a good one), OH we did get a $600 fine, and life goes on.

[Igore67]

So what went wrong on the jobsite?

[desertbasser]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Igore67 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">So what went wrong on the jobsite?</td></tr></table>

Someone farted and didnt fill out a JSA first.

[mattmann7]

No thanks.

I was spraying structural steel on a new chemical plant being built by Dow Chemical back in 85. The job trailer was downwind of the section we set up to spray one particular day. I went into the trailer and warned the guys to move their trucks out of the way so we could work without overspraying their trucks. The Osha guy left his brand new F150 in the way and we went to work. After we shot a section of steel 50 feet up I went back into the trailer and asked him if he wouldnt mind turning it around so I could shoot the other side so it matched. Fn dope went running outside screaming. The paint was stronger then epoxy and impossible to remove.

[Living Rangerously]

From my understanding you have 1 hour after they arrive and identify themselves before you allow inspection. First, verify their credentials by calling OSHA not some number they give you. Second, ask what specifically they are inspecting and show them only that specific location, procedure etc.. They do not have an open invitation to every nook & cranny.
The vast majority of inspections arise from a reported accident or employee complaint so show them exactly what happened and that's it. I would send this up your corp. ladder though because after all I'm just some clown on BBC.

[BIGCBAG]

Not trying to bring everybody down here but osha can pretty much do whatever they want once they step foot on your job site. This is called "rite of entry"
1926.3(a)

It shall be a condition of each contract which is subject to section 107 of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act that the Secretary of Labor or any authorized representative shall have a right of entry to any site of contract performance for the following purposes:

1926.3(a)(1)

To inspect or investigate the matter of compliance with the safety and health standards contained in Subpart C of this part and following subparts; and

1926.3(a)(2)

To carry out the duties of the Secretary under section 107(b) of the Act.

1926.3(b)

For the purpose of carrying out his investigative duties under the Act, the Secretary of Labor may, by agreement, use with or without reimbursement the services, personnel, and facilities of any State or Federal agency. Any agreements with States under this section shall be similar to those provided for under the Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act under 41 CFR Part 50-205.

This basically means that they can show up without notice, and inspect whatever they want.

[Gambler Bob]

When OSHA shows up on a job i am working on, we pick and go home, they are a$$ho!es

[Fiddlefarter]

The only times they've come on my jobs is when someone has been killed or seriously injured.

[hot rod]

the temp electrical panel wasn.t properly grounded, and i plugged my 110 cord into the panel. i should have been an electician also. the fine was stiffer. but arbitration brought it down to $600. and life goes on,

[Chief Paduke]

We have the Ky Osha guys in one of our buildings now. Their required procedures and the documentation for changing the ballast in light fixture are unreal. A two minute job just became a twenty minute job, minimum.


Modified by Chief Paduke at 5:28 PM 2/2/2012

[JoeBro44]

Dealt with them once. What a complete pain in the arse. The guy we had was one of the biggest A-holes I've ever encountered.

[GRR884]

I believe some states have their own state run Osha while others don't and therefore controlled by Federal employees. Indiana has IOSHA and these are state employees and easy to work with. One of the guys in my area is a farmer and does this on the side. Same laws/rules followed just controlled by a state angency rather than a federal one.

[Neilslure]

From the sound of the original post, these two were pretty unprofessional.

I work for a major building materials supplier. The facility I work in is primarily a warehouse and millwork manufacturing plant. Every 2 years or so OSHA comes in for a voluntary inspection giving us a few weeks notice to prepare. We usually have a few minor things but overall do pretty well. A similar facility in Charlotte turned them down for a voluntary inspection. OSHA showed up unannounced and nitpicked them to death. I think between fines and money spent bringing things up to snuff they spent close to $100K.

[Bassman Ia.]

[quote=Living Rangerously]From my understanding you have 1 hour after they arrive and identify themselves before you allow inspection. First, verify their credentials by calling OSHA not some number they give you.

Well it doesn't work that way. Three of us were hurt on the job, two of us were hurt off company property. Myself and another guy( 34 and 37 years perfect safety record) will never work again. Young guy was hurt on company property has about 20% usage with one of his arms.
From the minute they (OSHA ) walked in the door with the higher ups and safety guys from corporate, the bosses were led out of the building without being allowed to speak to anyone.

From what I was told, every employee was taken into a conference room individually questioned and recorded. Anyone not cooperating would be gone.


The company got off easy---it didn't break the 6 figure mark. And My injury and the other guys injury was never reported to OSHA---------------------------yet

[JoeBro44]

Our visit was prompted by an eye injury. Found out that work injuries are automatically reported to OSHA by the hospital. At least that's what I was told.

[luigisbass]

The general contractors I have worked with before usually let all of us know when OSHA is coming out so we can be on our best safety behavior. All cords and power tools must be plugged into a gfci and hard hats and safety glasses on at all times.

[ol man river]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by mattmann7 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">No thanks.

I was spraying structural steel on a new chemical plant being built by Dow Chemical back in 85. The job trailer was downwind of the section we set up to spray one particular day. I went into the trailer and warned the guys to move their trucks out of the way so we could work without overspraying their trucks. The Osha guy left his brand new F150 in the way and we went to work. After we shot a section of steel 50 feet up I went back into the trailer and asked him if he wouldnt mind turning it around so I could shoot the other side so it matched. Fn dope went running outside screaming. The paint was stronger then epoxy and impossible to remove.</td></tr></table>


dont you just hate it when that happens

[Bassman Ia.]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by JoeBro44 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Our visit was prompted by an eye injury. Found out that work injuries are automatically reported to OSHA by the hospital. At least that's what I was told.
</td></tr></table>

Well Joe, I was taken to a doctor the company uses, and so was the other guy. I had a back injury, this old doctor (well he said he was) tells me to move my big toe on each foot. I do and he winks, and pats my shoulder and says "Yer ok, nothing wrong here" Of course that's not what the surgeons said-------------all three times.

Now the young guy--he went to the hospital by ambulance,fractured skull, arm shattered , rib injury, knee injury, ankle injury---falling 16 ft. onto the concrete will do that.

[JoeBro44]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Bassman Ia. &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">

Well Joe, I was taken to a doctor the company uses, and so was the other guy. I had a back injury, this old doctor (well he said he was) tells me to move my big toe on each foot. I do and he winks, and pats my shoulder and says "Yer ok, nothing wrong here" Of course that's not what the surgeons said-------------all three times.

Now the young guy--he went to the hospital by ambulance,fractured skull, arm shattered , rib injury, knee injury, ankle injury---falling 16 ft. onto the concrete will do that.</td></tr></table>

Doesn't mean it wasn't reported. OSHA doesn't audit every company for every occurrence. We were just lucky enough to have the OSHA guy in the area when our accident was reported. Only time we've had the "luxury" of an OSHA audit in my 13 years there. If he ever comes back, I'm faking sick and getting the heck out of there.