An employer who corrects all hazards identified during the consultation visit and shows reasonable promise of achieving milestones and time frames agreed upon with the consultant will be granted inspection deferral. The deferral time frame recommended by the Consultation Project Manager must not exceed 18 months from the expiration of the correction due date. All of the following criteria must be met in order for deferral to be granted.
The employer must:
- Post the list of hazards identified by the consultant.
- Provide information on all identified hazards identified by the consultant to employees and inform employees when hazards are corrected.
- Correct all hazards (serious and other) identified by consultants.
- Show evidence of having the foundation of a safety and health management system by scoring a minimum of 75 on the Safety and Health Program Assessment Worksheet (Revised OSHA Form 33).
- Implement an action plan agreed upon with the consultant to address those elements of a safety and health management system identified by the consultant as essential.
- Provide progress reports to the Consultation Project Manager and meet other state- or project-specific requirements.
- Agree to full service visit by consultants at the end of the deferral period.
- Notify the Consultation Project Manager in case of changes in conditions (e.g. process, equipment etc.).
- Involve employees in the safety and health management system, including the implementation of the action plan.
- Be capable of reducing the site's Lost Workday Injury and Illness (LWDII) Rate and Total Recordable Case Rate (TRCR) to below the industry national average within the deferral period.
- Post the action plan and a notice of intention to participate in SHARP (provided by the consultant).
- At unionized sites:
- Notify the employee representative(s) of the employer's intention to participate in SHARP.
- Involve the union in the process.