When to request a Workplace Hazard Assessment

You are an employer, employee union representative, or a physician treating an worker and

• You are concerned about exposure to an agent or working condition that may or may not be regulated by OSHA.
• Employees have an illness from an unknown cause.
• Employees experience adverse health effects from exposure to a regulated or unregulated agent or working condition, even though the permissible exposure limit is not being exceeded.
• The incidence of a particular disease or injury is higher than expected in a group of employees.
• There is exposure to a new or previously unrecognized hazard or a hazard that seems to result from the combined effects of several agents.
• You would like a general assessment of the health and safety of your working environment or a specific assessment of one or more components of your workplace operations.

 When to request help from the OSHA Consultation Program

 You are an employer and you want

• Recommendations or options for becoming compliant with OSHA safety and health standards without the issuance of citations, penalties, or fines.

• Assistance in developing or maintaining an OSHA-compliant safety and health program.
• Employee exposure monitoring or other environmental sampling.
• Indoor environmental quality surveys of an office setting or school.
• Instructions for the correction of hazards identified by the consultant(s) to the level required by OSHA standards.

• Information on compliance with OSHA recordkeeping requirements.

http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/osha/consulti.htm

When to file a complaint with OSHA

 You are an employee and you want

• Immediate enforcement of OSHA standards by a regulatory agency.
• Your employer to comply with existing health and safety standards.
• Further protection from a well recognized hazard for which an OSHA standard exists.
• To report an employer who has taken action against you for raising health and safety concerns.

http://www.osha.gov/oshdir/ct.html