On May 19, 2008, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced its Site-Specific Targeting Inspection Plan for 2008. The plan covers non-construction workplaces that have 40 or more employees. OSHA developed its Site-Specific Targeting Inspection Plan for 2008 based on injury and illness data from its annual survey of employers in industries that have historically high injury rates.

In the Site-Specific Targeting Inspection Plan, OSHA used injury rates to select 3,800 work sites for inspections.  The primary inspection list targets employers reporting 11 or more injuries or illnesses resulting in days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer for every 100 full-time employees. The primary inspection list also includes employers reporting at least nine injuries or illnesses resulting in days away from work for every 100 full-time employees.  The primary inspection list also includes employers who reported lower injury and illness rates, but are in industries with high injury rates.  

OSHA also conducts inspections pursuant to its Local and National Emphasis Programs. The Local and National Emphasis Programs target inspections to a specific industry, hazard, or other workplace characteristic. OSHA currently has 140 Local Emphasis Programs and eight National Emphasis Programs. The National Emphasis Programs focus inspections on (1) Amputations; (2) Lead; (3) Crystalline Silica; (4) Ship Breaking; (5) Trenching/Excavations; (6) Petroleum Refinery Process Safety Management; (7) Microwave Popcorn Processing Plants; and (8) Combustible Dust.

The Site-Specific Targeting Inspection Plan for 2008 can be found here at OSHA’s Web site.

An OSHA Inspection can be the beginning of an OSHA enforcement proceeding and administrative litigation. Knowing how to manage an OSHA inspection can help to limit liability, limit business interruption, and protect trade secrets and confidential information.