ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT
Portable Sanitation Association International News
BIWEEKLY EDITION APRIL 28, 2021
Page 14
OSHA Offers Free On-Site Consultation Program…continued from page 13
OSHA routinely performs rigorous economic analysis of agency regulations. OSHA economists performed a similar
analysis of the On-Site Consultation principles, based on established economic principles and widely recognized
values, such as the Value of a Statistical Injury (VSI). They published their findings in a 2018 report.
To analyze the usefulness of the program, the economists considered three alternatives for determining the
economic contributions of On-Site Consultation:
• A one-time, one-year safety and health management program;
• A hazard-reduction exercise; and
• An OSHA enforcement inspection.
Ultimately, the agency determined that a one-time, one-year safety and health management program most closely
aligns with the services provided by the On-Site Consultation Program. Using conservative estimates based on
avoiding OSHA recordable injuries and illnesses (not including fatalities prevented or prevention of delayed-onset
illnesses) and looking at benefits to employers, workers' compensation systems, and the workers themselves,
OSHA developed the following breakdown of the benefits the OSHA On-Site Consultation Program provides to
the national economy.
Annual Benefits of the OSC Program*
Costs for Employers Benefits of OSC
Covered Workers
1,260,932 Benefits to Workers from
Avoided Injuries
$728,188,374
Estimated Number of
Injuries Per Year
37,828 Benefits to the Workers'
Comp System from
Reduced Claims
$288,684,134
Injuries Prevented by
OSC Program Visits
9,457 Benefits to Employers
from Avoid Indirect Costs
$317,552,547
Value Per Avoided Injury $77,000
Workers' Comp/Injury $30, 536 Total $1,334,425,056
* Totals may not sum due to rounding.
As you can see, the program as a whole was very effective. Each company's results were individualized and may
have been greater or lesser than average. But does that really matter? When it comes to keeping employees safe
and protecting your business from the terrible economic and emotional consequences that come with worker
injuries or death, it's a no-brainer.
Don't Trust OSHA?
Okay…If you have the extra money, think about hiring a private consultant to do the same work. Just take the time
and resources to focus on a comprehensive safety evaluation and program of action for your company. "I'm sorry I
spent all that time and money making my workplace safer," said no one, ever. v
Note: Much of the content for this article came from OSHA's website and other referenced public documents.
