OSHA Regs - for over 50 employees

mjindra

Our company has been stuck around 38 employees for quite awhile and we're considering taking on extra work, which would put us between 50 and 75 employees. I've been asked for a quick summary on how this would change things for us, regarding additional OSHA Regulations that we would then have to be updated on.

Does anybody have a quick suggestion / method to nail down the necessary changes? Anybody else recently gone through this?

JulieP

We are just the opposite. We have been between 50 and 100 employees for a long time and have recently gone down to 43. I haven't even thought about not having to enforce OSHA regs now. Does this make a difference. I thought OSHA was enforced whether you had 1 or 1 million employees. I know that FMLA doesn't apply under 50 employees. What other regulations/laws don't apply any more?

mjindra

Thanks for clarifying that . . . I may be crossing the two, OSHA and law. I knew FMLA was one of the new concerns we would have . . . are there many others?

I'm actually embarassed to be asking this . . . I wish I was more comfortable with the laws and regulations.

skyrocket

Don't forget that just because you reach a threshold (say for FMLA) it may not apply to you immediately. You are subject to FMLA if there were 50 employees for each workday during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks (need not be consecutive) in the current or preceding calendar year. Employees on paid or unpaid leave or suspension must be included in this count.

JulieP

Thank you. I had almost forgotten that.

SMace

Generally, if you are engaged in a business and have employees you have to comply with OSHA. Some exemptions are certain railroad, maritime and mining employees. Also be aware that you may have a state OSHA program to comply with also.

E Wart

Usually each state has a Health and Safety Division (like a state OSHA) who will come out and do a walk through at no cost or penalty and work with you on any safety issues or policy. You may want to check on your state website or call your state dept. to ask about this. (I know TX, CT, and GA have this.)
E Wart

Balloonman

I have bad news for you, OSHA regs basically apply to employers with 10 or more employees, unless you are in construction, then I believe it is just one employee. There is some it depends, based on they type of work you do. If you are just an office then it is no big deal. But it sounds like OSHA already applies to you. Happy Friday.
My $0.02 worth.
DJ The Balloonman