During the recent government shutdown, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration received safety and health complaints that did not meet criteria for excepted activity and were not processed upon receipt, according to OSHA.
The agency has resumed normal enforcement operations and now is addressing the backlog of complaints, which may be processed via informal inquiry, and OSHA said it will respond as quickly as possible. Individuals do not need to resubmit their complaints.
Additionally, OSHA has extended the time employers have to respond to citations issued immediately before or during the government shutdown because shutdown days do not count as “working days.” For employers whose citations were issued and/or received between Oct. 1 and Nov. 12, OSHA tolled the 15-day contest period because of the lapse in appropriations. The agency issued a press release on the afternoon of Dec. 2 saying the contest periods are extended through today.
View information about the inspection process on OSHA’s website.
