Final answer:
OSHA schedules inspections based on six main priorities: imminent danger, catastrophes, worker complaints and referrals, targeted inspections, and follow-up inspections. Additionally, employers have responsibilities to provide a safe work environment and necessary protective measures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) prioritizes its enforcement efforts by scheduling inspections based on specific criteria that help them reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. These inspections, which are conducted by trained compliance officers, are sorted by the following priorities, listed from the highest to lowest:
- Imminent danger situations where there is a threat of death or serious physical harm.
- Catastrophes, meaning incidents that result in fatalities or hospitalizations.
- Worker complaints and referrals from other agencies or entities.
- Targeted inspections that focus on particular hazards or workplaces with high injury rates.
- Follow-up inspections to ensure that previously cited violations have been corrected.
Beyond these enforcement activities, OSHA also requires employers to provide a safe workplace, which includes informing workers about chemical hazards, providing necessary safety training, keeping accurate records of work-related injuries and illnesses, and more. Employers must strive to eliminate or reduce workplace hazards effectively and provide the necessary protective equipment without cost to workers.