OSHA Certified vs. OSHA Aligned

Although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t actually certify workplaces, employers still have legal obligations to fulfill. You can become OSHA Aligned in your workplace by satisfying the following responsibilities:

• Apply OSHA’s safety standards to your workplace
• Know how to recognize and remove hazards
• Post proper warning labels where hazards are present
• Keep incident reports up to date
• Provide proper OSHA Aligned safety training for your employees

Following these steps can help your workplace be OSHA Aligned.

Certification

OSHA doesn’t specifically address training or certification requirements for workers, but many OSHA Requirements require that the employers train their employees in specific safety and health aspects of their jobs.

Additionally, some states might have stricter requirements. It’s a good idea to check what training is required for the employees in your workplace.

If ever unsure of state safety requirements, check with your state’s Department of Labor to see if OSHA certification is required. Again, while OSHA does not give certification, OSHA Aligned training can demonstrate that the worksite and the employees on it are working safely.

Having an OSHA Aligned workplace can also alleviate safety liabilities. When an OSHA inspection comes to your workplace, making sure to be OSHA Aligned at all times will protect you against legal action.

Record Keeping

Proper documentation will prove your workplace to be OSHA Aligned. Such paperwork should be kept up to date and should include the following:

• Injury reports
• Training records
• Equipment inspection documents
• Safety policies
• Individual personnel files

Since alignment officers usually show up unannounced, keeping these documents on hand is a good idea. Additionally, walking through the workplace with the inspector can help show your alignment in high-risk areas. Also, the training of employees in the workplace is key to their safety. As such, proper training standards should be implemented.

For additional safety training and information, visit our homepage.

For more information on OSHA’s stance on certification, visit their site.

Good luck and stay safe!