On-Site Consultation Program

The New York State Department of Labor’s On-Site Consultation Program is a free and confidential safety and health consultative service that is available to small- and medium-sized businesses operating in high-hazard industries or performing high-hazard activities. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and N.Y.S. Department of Labor*. The program’s mission is to help businesses prevent workplace injuries and illnesses and to assist them with OSHA regulatory compliance.  

The cost associated with a workplace injury can be staggering. There are direct costs to the employer, such as medical and insurance bills, legal fees, and OSHA fines, but there are also hidden, indirect costs. Those costs are related to the loss of productivity, staff turnover, worker training, clean up, and repairs. Yet, employers can prevent this from happening. Each year the On-Site Consultation Program staff help hundreds of businesses across the state by providing cost-effective solutions to safety and health issues.

* The NYS On-Site Consultation Program is 90% funded with $3,666,200 of federal funds.

Why should an employer consider using the On-Site Consultation Program?

• It is FREE and confidential to businesses and organizations in our state,
• Independent from state and federal enforcement activities, and
• Safer and healthier working conditions improves worker wellbeing, productivity, and job satisfaction.

There are additional benefits of the Consultation Program to the employer as well. This program can help to:

• Reduce workplace accidents by identification of hazards,
• Lessen Workers’ Compensation costs by reducing the number of claims,
• Implement safety and health programs required by OSHA, and
• Comply with OSHA regulations

The services offered include:

• Review and analysis of workplace injury and illness records to identify potential trends;
• Review and assessments of OSHA-mandated safety and health programs;
• On-site hazard identification;
• Employee exposure monitoring for air contaminants, noise, and other harmful agents;
• Safety and health training on a wide variety of topics; and
• Evaluations of company safety and health management practices.
• Suggestions for mitigation, control or elimination of safety and health hazards;

The On-site Consultation Program's safety and industrial hygiene professionals who perform these consultations:

• Have many years of experience
• Are well trained in understanding identification and control of hazards, and
• Have attended advanced training at the US DOL OSHA Training Institute

A consultation hazard survey can help identify the safety and health training OSHA would require or that a business needs. Free training is available after completion of an initial hazard survey. Some training available includes:

• Accident Investigation,
• Hazard Communication,
• Injury and Illness Recordkeeping,
• Fall Protection,
• Respiratory Protection,
• Confined Space Entry,
• Personal Protective Equipment,
• Lock out/Tag out, and
• Many more OSHA topics.

For details, contact [email protected].

This program is open to employers who:

• Employ 250 or less employees at the jobsite, and employ 500 or less employees at all locations corporate-wide,
• Have OSHA recordable injury and illness rates below the national average for the business’s industry,
• Receive a comprehensive consultation from the On-Site Consultation Program
• Correct all identified hazards
• Institute an effective safety and health program

The SHARP program qualifies employers for up to a three-year exemption from OSHA programmed inspections. SHARP status also singles a company out among its peers as a model for workplace safety and health. Most importantly, it helps ensure safer and healthier work conditions through the implementation of effective safety and health management practices.

Employers who meet some, but not all, SHARP qualifications can participate in our SHARP development program (Pre-SHARP). This makes employers eligible for an OSHA inspection deferral as they work towards becoming SHARP members.

A current list of participating businesses may be viewed on OSHA’s SHARP webpage https://www.osha.gov/sharp .

For details on SHARP, contact [email protected].

If you want to provide a safer workplace for your employees, call the Consultation Program office in your area and get started on a safer worksite today.

"Workplace Safety Begins with You!"