The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) lists the following steps in an inspection process:
Presentation of credentials
An on-site
inspection begins with the presentation of the OSHA compliance officer’s credentials.
Opening Conference
The compliance officer explains why OSHA selected the workplace lays out the process of the
inspection. The employer selects a representative to
accompany the compliance officer during the inspection. An authorized representative of the employees can accompany the inspection also.
Walkaround
The compliance officer and the representatives walk through the portions of the workplace
covered by the inspection, inspecting for hazards, as well as noting the posting of the official
OSHA poster and reviewing any injury or illness records.
Closing Conference
The compliance officer holds a closing conference with
the employer and employee representatives. Findings are discussed, along with possible actions an employer may take following the inspection.
Historical note (since you asked this as a history question): OSHA was created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, signed into law by President Richard Nixon. OSHA currently has over 2,000 employees and an annual budget of over $500 million.
