Everybody at this point understands that the government is shutdown. Non-essential personnel are furloughed, offices are shuttered, and some departments are not working properly. And OSHA is among the agencies hit hardest.

OSHA has furloughed 90 percent of it’s inspectors, according to a Set. 10 memo released by David Michaels, the head of OSHA. This means that, unless it is deemed a serious emergency, complaints will not be answered until after the shutdown ends. And while this might sound great for companies, as it gives them more time to fix an issue, it can mean unsafe work environments last longer, creating more complaints, more chances for a serious injury, and potentially higher fines. If you have any fears that your workplace is not 100% up to code, now is the time to have a full third party audit, to ensure you won’t have a knock on your door when the government is back up and running.

OSHA is also unable to answer inquiries from employers about interpretations of standards. So if the normal turnaround time is anywhere from one to six months, the shutdown could easily double that delay. For a company building a new complex, that delay could have a significant cost impact.

If you have any questions about how to interpret an OSHA regulation or if you would like more information on a third party safety audit, please contact us. Or, if you have anything else to add about the impact of the government shutdown on workplace safety, please leave a comment.