In our webinar How to Prepare for Your Next OSHA Inspection, renowned OSHA lawyer Phillip Russell gave his advice on preparing for inspections (both planned and unplanned).
With more than 25 years of experience in employment and practical labor laws, Phillip’s insights are extremely valuable for businesses across all types of industries.
Cooperating with OSHA
One of the topics discussed in this webinar was the relationship between business and regulatory agencies. According to Philip, “there’s a balance when working with government” that many companies struggle to achieve.
Whether by overextending the welcome mat or creating a contentious relationship with the OSHA inspector, leaders often react to surprise visits on opposite ends of the spectrum. It’s important to react calmly to OSHA visits and ensure that you get all the information you need before allowing inspectors access to areas of your site.
During the webinar, Phillip gave multiple suggestions for how to train your staff to respond to OSHA visits.
Know your rights with Phillip Russell
Phillip also emphasized the importance of asking questions, which you are well within your right to do. He made a point to dispel the myth that employers cannot prepare workers for OSHA interviews or debrief with them afterwards.
When Frontline CEO Ren Lu You asked about best practices after an OSHA inspection, Phillip explained that proactiveness is key. He explained that businesses need to take feedback from inspections and run with it, tackling safety issues immediately rather than waiting for a citation to make changes.
This, Phillip said, is an essential component of incident prevention and should be the focus—not simply just avoiding regulatory citations.
Reaching out to Phillip
To hear Phillip’s full advice on these topics (and more), you can watch a full version of the webinar below and subscribe to our newsletter for notifications about upcoming EHS webinars, guides, resources, and more.
Connect with guest speaker Phillip Russell through these channels:
LinkedIn: Phillip’s Profile
Ogletree Deakins: https://ogletree.com/
Podcast: Dirty Steel Toe Boots
