“OSHA Issues Site-Specific Inspections Targeting Directive For 2014”

The OSHA SST-14 Program is intended to direct its enforcement resources to workplaces where the “highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur.” The Directive calls for programmed inspection plans targeting high-hazard, non-construction workplaces that have 20 or more workers. The Program is based on data collected from the last year’s OSHA Data Initiative survey of 80,000 establishments in high-hazard industries. In the Directive appendix A, OSHA lists the many industries that were surveyed, and so targeted, including: manufacturing, trucking, warehousing, air transportation and courier services, automobiles, construction materials, scarp and waste, groceries, poultry products, department stores, medical facilities.

OSHA’s intention is that implementation of the Directive will achieve its goal of reducing the number of injuries and illnesses that occur at individual workplaces by directing enforcement resources to those workplaces where the highest rate of injuries and illnesses have occurred.

Among other things, the Directive provides a checklist for compliance safety and health officers and provides scheduling and inspection procedures. According to the Directive, the Program’s primary inspection lists for federal jurisdiction Area Offices will be comprised of 1,260 establishments.

Directive Memo:

Feb. 26, 2014
Contact: Office of Communications
Phone: 202-693-1999

OSHA issues 2014 inspection plan to reduce injuries and
illnesses at high-hazard workplaces

WASHINGTON – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued its annual inspection plan under the Site-Specific Targeting 2014* program to direct enforcement resources to workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur.

The SST program is one of OSHA’s main programmed inspection plans for high-hazard, non-construction workplaces that have 20 or more workers. The SST plan is based on data collected from a survey of 80,000 establishments in high-hazard industries.

“By focusing our inspection resources on employers in high hazard industries who endanger their employees, we can prevent injuries and illnesses and save lives,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels.

As part of the SST-14 program, OSHA is conducting a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the program based on 1,260 randomly selected establishments.

Programmed inspections of nursing and personal care establishments will continue under OSHA’s Nursing and Personal Care Facilities National Emphasis Program.

In addition to the SST program, OSHA implements both national and local emphasis inspection programs, which include programmed inspections, to target high-risk hazards and industries. OSHA currently has 13 National Emphasis Programs that intensify inspections on hazards or industries such as lead, silica, shipbreaking, trenching/excavations and process safety management, and approximately 140 Regional and Local Emphasis Programs.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

OSHA’s 13 National Emphasis Programs:

OSHA’s Active National & Special Emphasis Program Index

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