Is your dealership prepared for an OSHA inspection? Vehicle dealers often assume - wrongly - that that they will never be subject to an OSHA inspection simply because they are exempt from the recordkeeping requirements of other industries.

This is not true. In fact, OSHA can and will perform an inspection for any of these three reasons: (1) investigation following a fatal accident, (2) specific industry targeting, or (3) customer/employee complaints. It is important to understand your duty, as an employer, to provide a safe workplace in compliance with OSHA regulations.

Here are the top 10 violations of OSHA compliance and the corresponding Federal Regulation code number for motor vehicle dealers.

1. Hazard Communication (1910.1200)
   Employers who have hazardous chemicals in their workplaces must have labels and material safety data sheets for their exposed workers and train them to handle chemicals appropriately.
   
   
2. Portable Fire Extinguishers (1910.157)
   Employers shall review the standard applied to the placement, use, maintenance, and testing of portable fire extinguishers provided for use by employees.
   
   
3. Respiratory Protection (1910.134)
   Employers shall provide appropriate respirators when such equipment is necessary to protect the health of the employees and shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of a respiratory protection program.
   
   
4. Abrasive Wheel Machinery (1910.215)
   Abrasive wheels shall be used only on machines provided with safety guards. Safety guards shall cover the spindle, nut, and flange projections.
   
   
5. Walking/Working Surfaces (1910.22)
   This standard applies to all permanent places of employment and addresses housekeeping, aisles, passageways, covers and guardrails, and floor loading protection.
   
   
6. Electrical Systems, General Requirements (1910.303)
   This standard outlines the requirements for examining, installing, and using electrical equipment. Under the standard’s “General Duty Clause,” the employer is required to provide a work environment that is free from recognized hazards that can cause death or serious harm.
   
   
7. Flammable and Combustible Liquids (1910.106)
   This standard applies to the storage, handling, and use of flammable and combustible liquids with a flash point below 200 degrees Fahrenheit. There are two primary hazards associated with flammable and combustible liquids: fire and explosion. In order to prevent these hazards, this standard addresses the primary concerns of design and construction, ventilation and ignition sources, as well as storage.
   
   
8. Personal Protective Equipment (1910.132)
   Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment to the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation, or physical contact.
   
   
9. Electrical, Wiring Methods (1910.305)
   While the provisions of this standard do not apply to the conductors that are an integral part of factory-assembled equipment, wiring methods for other applications are subject to industry standards and are found in the Federal Regulation code.
   
   
10. Sanitation (1910.141)
    This standard applies to permanent places of employment and addresses the following: housekeeping; waste disposal; vermin control; water supply (potable/nonpotable water); toilet facilities; washing facilities; change rooms; consumption of food and beverages on the premises; and food handling.