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

The State of Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR) was awarded a $2,401,800 cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the Consultation Agreements program (CFDA 17.504). The award will fund occupational safety and health consultation services for small businesses in Maryland from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023. Specifically, DLLR consultants will conduct at least 90% of initial consultation visits at high-hazard worksites and establishments with 250 employees or less, as well as establishments controlled by employers with 500 employees or less. The consultants will identify workplace hazards, provide compliance assistance and advice on OSHA standards, and help establish and improve safety and health programs. All consultation visits will include employee interviews, and identified serious and imminent hazards will be verified as corrected in a timely manner. The funding prioritizes confidential, no-cost services to small businesses in hazardous industries.

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 (