Offers no-cost and confidential occupational safety and health services to small businesses with priority given to high-hazard worksites

The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will receive $1,439,000 through a cooperative agreement award from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the Consultation Agreements program (CFDA 17.504). The department will provide no-cost and confidential occupational safety and health consultation services to small businesses in Hawaii, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. Consultants will conduct at least 90% of initial visits at establishments with 250 employees or less, at least 90% of initial visits at establishments controlled by employers with 500 employees or less, and at least 90% of initial visits in high hazard establishments. All visits will include employee interviews. The department will also verify that 100% of serious and imminent hazards identified through consultations are corrected in a timely manner. The goal of this award is to help smaller employers, especially those with more hazardous operations, identify and address workplace safety issues and comply with OSHA standards.

Consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide advice for compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing and improving safety and health programs. Activities performed consultation visits, which can be either full service or limited service in scope. Full-service visits provide a complete, safety and/or health hazard assessment of all working conditions, equipment, processes, and OSHA or state plan mandated programs. On the other hand, a limited-service visit provides a less complete safety and/or health hazard assessment providing a focused assessment of a particular work process, or OSHA or state plan mandated programs. Deliverables deliverables: 1.) conduct at least 90% of initial visits in high hazard establishments. 2.) conduct at least 90% of initial visits at establishments with 250 or less employees 3.) conduct at least 90% of initial visits at establishments controlled by an employer with 500 or less employees. 4.) conduct 100% of visits where employees were intervieiwed. 5.) verify that 100% of serious and imminent hazards identifed are corrected in a timely manner (