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

The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Labor will receive $605,400 through September 30, 2023 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under the Consultation Agreements program (CFDA 17.504) to provide confidential on-site occupational safety and health consultation services to small businesses in the CNMI. The awardee will conduct at least 90% of initial visits at high hazard establishments, at establishments with 250 employees or less, and at establishments controlled by employers with 500 employees or less. All employee interviews will be conducted during visits and any serious or imminent hazards identified will be verified as corrected in a timely manner. The funding will support full-service and limited-service consultation visits to identify workplace hazards and provide compliance assistance and safety program support to small and high-hazard employers.

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 (