Safety and Health Consultation Program
North Carolina workplaces have a wide variety of potential problems related
to em ployee safety and health. Occu pational injuries and illnesses are one
of the state’s most serious concerns.
The N.C. Department of Labor has a program to assist employers, especially
those in smaller businesses, to reach their goal of achieving a safe and
healthful workplace for their employees. Experienced professional safety,
industrial hygiene and ergonomics consultants will identify safety and health
hazards in your business or industry, supply recommendations to reduce or
eliminate these hazards, and assess your safety and health management
program. Our goal is to help your business meet current OSH job safety and
health regulations and develop an ongoing, effective safety and health
management program. We will provide you with confidential, comprehensive
written reports containing our findings and recommendations.
How It Works
A Free Service to North Carolina Employers
The Occupational Safety and Health Division, Consultative Services Bureau,
is available to provide assistance to both private and public sector employers.
The primary focus of consultation is to provide assistance to the small
business employers, smaller municipal, county and state agencies. Further
priority is given to small employers with hazardous operations or in high
hazard industries.
Services provided are free of charge. Although the Con sul tative Services
Bureau is part of the Occupational Safety and Health Division, consultation
records are separate and confidential from compliance.
Some of the Services We Provide:
« Full-service on-site safety and health surveys, or specific surveys tailored
to your request
« Technical assistance
« Safety and health assessment and assistance
« Ergonomics evaluation and assistance
« Air sampling and analysis
« Noise measurements
« Recognition/exemption programs
Employer Obligation
The employer’s obligation in accepting these ser vices is to correct all hazards
identified by the consultant within a reasonable period. This commitment
is made in advance. The employer must also agree to post the list of hazards
that accompanies the consultant’s report. If an employer refuses to correct
or verify correction of a serious hazard, the bureau chief may refer the
matter to compliance, a rare occurrence in this program.
How Do We Start?
The Consultation Process
Step 1: Request
You start the process. Contact us in person, by faxing or mailing in the request
form in this brochure, or by visiting our website at www.nclabor.com
and submitting your service request online. If you have any questions,
please feel free to telephone us to discuss what service would be most
useful to your business.
An employer may request a facility-wide (full-service) safety and health
survey or a specific safety and/or health survey limited to only one or
more issues.
Step 2: On-Site Visit
The consultant will call to arrange a convenient date and time to conduct
the on-site assessment. The visit includes an opening conference with top
management, followed by a walk-through assessment of the facility to
identify safety and/or health hazards and evaluate work practices. The
consultant will need to confer with a reasonable number of employees and,
in unionized workplaces, an employee representative must be afforded an
opportunity to participate in the walkaround, plus the opening and closing
conferences. Employee and employer training can be conducted or
arranged for later if necessary. Written programs are reviewed, and a safety
and health assessment is conducted. The consultant may provide some sample
programs that can be useful. The visit concludes with a closing conference
to discuss findings and recommendations. If hazards are identified, the
employer and the consultant set and agree on a date for correction.
Step 3: Evaluation and Report
Following the visit, all collected information is evaluated and research is
conducted. This may include laboratory analysis if air samples were taken.A
report detailing findings, recommendations, agreements and ways to improve
your safety and health management program is prepared and forwarded to
you. The consultant is available at any time to assist you further if necessary.
Step 4: Correction of Hazards
The report will itemize and discuss any hazards found during the visit.
Our program requires the employer to correct all hazards identified and
provide the consultant with written confirmation of hazard correction on
or before the agreed upon correction due date. If an employer is unable to
correct a hazard by the date specified, an extension may be requested.
Step 5: Follow-Up
In some instances, a return visit may be necessary. For example, the consultant
may need to remonitor air quality or verify that hazards have been properly
corrected.
Consultative Services Bureau
	
	

Cherie Berry, Commissioner of Labor
John R. Bogner Jr., Bureau Chief
1-800-NC-LABOR
(1-800-625-2267)
For North Carolina Employers www.nclabor.com
Recognizing small to mid-size businesses that
establish and maintain effective safety programs.
Accreditation Benefits Include:
R Employee involvement keeps costs down, quality and productivity up
R FREE professional safety and health mentoring
R Reduced workers’ compensation costs
R Reduced OSH compliance inspections
R Community recognition
What Is SHARP?
SHARP(General Industry) is a program that recognizes
small and mid-size employers who have developed and
maintained effective safety and health programs.
SHARP (Public Sector) is a NEWprogram that recognizes
certain categories of public sector employers who have developed
and maintained effective safety and health programs. Current
categories include: school maintenance, public works, sheriff/
police, public utilities, fire/EMS, and parks and recreation.
SHARP is a system of exemptions from planned OSH compliance
inspections for those employers who comply voluntarily with the applicable
standards.
SHARPis a process for getting employees involved in driving improvements
in the safety and health program as well as in quality and productivity.
Note:
Health surveys concentrate on issues such as exposure to air contaminants,
ventilation, noise measurements and controls, hazardous chemicals, ergonomics,
respirators, bloodborne pathogens, and hazard communication. Safety surveys
address such issues as walking/working surfaces, machine guarding, electrical
hazards, fire protection, means of egress, mechanical equipment, protective
equipment, power tools, housekeeping, and sanitation. All surveys will include
assistance and information to develop a successful safety and health
management system.
Recognition Program
Safety and Health Achievement
and Recognition Program (SHARP)
Employers that successfully complete all the requirements of a full-service
safety and health consultation may be eligible for deferral from corresponding
routine compliance inspections. Employers in general industry may apply
for recognition in Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program
(SHARP). Employers receive a certificate of recognition and an exemption
from programmed compliance inspections, which can be renewed for consecutive
years. For more information on SHARP, talk to your consultant or call
our office today.
The Bottom Line
« Safe and healthful working conditions
« Reduced absenteeism and turnover
« Reduced employee complaints to OSH Compliance
« Avoidance of costly OSH fines for conditions identified by consultation
« More efficient operations
« Increased productivity
« Improved employee morale
« Lower insurance rates
« Recognition/exemption
Summary
The Consultation Program will:
« Provide free on-site consultation services at your request and consent.
« Help you recognize safety and health hazards.
« Assist you with your safety and health management program.
« Provide technical assistance.
« Answer your general questions about OSH Compliance.
« Provide employee/employer training.
« Assist you in qualifying for recognition/exemption programs.
The Consultation Program will not:
« Issue citations or propose penalties for violations of OSH standards.
« Guarantee that any workplace will be free from all OSH violations.
(In FY 2011, the onsite consultation program is authorized $1,344,000 in federal
funding, which represents a 73 percent share of the costs.)
Safety & Health Achievement Recognition Program

Printed 2/12
3,000 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $240, or $.08 per copy.
Stay in touch with today’s workplace issues.
Sign up to receive a free subscription to the NC Labor Ledger at
www.nclabor.com/news/ledger.htm
Program Requirements:
R Abate all hazards identified by consultants.
R Score well on the safety and health assessment conducted by consultants.
R Maintain injury/illness rates below the national average.
R Submit a written request for SHARP participation.
Application:
R Fill out a consultation request form to improve your workplace.
R Request a full-service safety and health consultation visit. Consultation
request forms can be obtained online at our website or by calling
919-807-2899.
Consultation Request Forms:
www.nclabor.com/osha/consult/request_consultation.pdf
Consultation Safety Programs:
www.nclabor.com/osha/consult/consult.htm
For additional information regarding Consultative Services and our other
safety programs, contact bureau chief John R. Bogner Jr. at 919-807-2905
or via email at John.Bogner@labor.nc.gov.
Consultative Services Bureau
1101 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1101
919-807-2899, Fax: 919-807-2902
Request for FREE Safety and Health Consultation
Complete this form in full and mail to:
Consultative Services Bureau, NCDOL, 1101 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1101, or fax to 919-807-2902
Name of company/employer:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(PLEASE USE THE LEGAL NAME)
Site address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP)
Mailing address: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(STREET ADDRESS, CITY, STATE, ZIP)
Have you moved within the past two years? o Yes: Previous address:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Person to contact: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Job title:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Telephone number:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ext.:________________________________________________ Fax number: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Email address:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Type of business and description of process:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC#) or NAICS:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Number of employees:
________________________________ At your establishment/worksite Unemployment Insurance # (Required) __________________________
________________________________ Controlled by your company nationwide ______ In area you want surveyed, if a limited scope survey request
________________________________________________________
Type of Request (please read carefully):
Full Service
o Both Safety and Health On-Site Surveys: INCLUDE BOTH SAFETY AND HEALTH CONSULTANTS.
Recognition Programs (Participants may receive a deferral/exemption from general scheduled compliance inspections.)
o SHARP General Industry o SHARP Public Sector
o SHARP Construction (Information) o SHARP Logging/Tree Felling (Information)
________________________________________________________
Limited Service (No deferral, low priority)
o Safety Visit Only/Please specify SAFETY issue o Health Visit Only/Please specify HEALTH issue
(Machine Guarding, PPE, Electrical Hazards, etc.) (Noise, Air Contaminants, Ventilation, Respirators, Ergonomics, etc.)
____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Briefly describe purpose of visit/Area you want surveyed Briefly describe purpose of visit/Area you want surveyed
How did you hear about us: o Consultant Promotion (Consultant’s name:_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ )
o Mailing o Business Associate o Other: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I am authorized to request that the N.C. Department of Labor, Consultative Services Bureau, conduct a consultative survey of my company. I understand that this service
is free of charge and it does not increase the probability that my company will receive an inspection from the Compliance Bureau. Following each survey, a written report
of the consultant’s findings will be provided. I understand that the company is obligated to correct any hazards observed by the consultant within the agreed upon time, to
post the list of hazards found, and to allow the consultant to confer with employees.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED COMPANY OFFICIAL DATE
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(PRINT or TYPE NAME) JOB TITLE
If submitting online, call 919-807-2899 if receipt is not confirmed within 48 hours. Please retain a copy for your records.
	
	

#