OSHA runs a free, confidential program that sends a safety expert to your site to find your hazards and help you fix them, and it is completely separate from the inspectors who write citations. They issue no fines, and what they find is never shared with OSHA's enforcement side. For a small contractor without a full-time safety officer, this is the single most useful and least-known safety resource there is. Your only obligation is to fix the serious hazards they point out. This is federal OSHA in 2026, delivered through your state.
Free and confidential, and not the enforcement side
The On-Site Consultation Program is run separately from OSHA enforcement, usually through a state agency or a university. The consultants are safety and health professionals, not compliance officers. That separation is the whole point:
- It is free. No charge for the visit.
- It is confidential. What the consultant finds is not reported to OSHA's enforcement staff. It stays between you and the consultation program.
- No citations, no penalties. They cannot fine you and do not write citations. They are there to help, not to punish.
So the fear that keeps contractors from calling, "if I invite OSHA in, won't they cite me," does not apply to this program. This is the helpful door, not the enforcement one.
What the consultant actually does
On a visit, a consultant will:
- Walk your site and do a full hazard survey, flagging conditions that would draw a citation in an enforcement inspection.
- Explain the standards that apply to your work and how to meet them.
- Help you build the written programs you are supposed to have, like a hazard communication program or a silica exposure control plan.
- Provide or arrange training for you and your crew.
In effect, you get a preview of what an inspector would find, plus help fixing it, without any of the risk.
The one string attached
The program is not entirely no-strings, but the string is a fair one: if the consultant identifies a serious hazard, you have to agree to correct it within a reasonable, mutually agreed timeframe. That is the deal. You are inviting an expert to find your serious problems, so you commit to actually fixing them. That is exactly what you would want to do anyway.
The bonus: inspection deferral and SHARP
Working with the consultation program can also keep the enforcement inspectors away:
- Deferral while you work. From the opening conference through your agreed correction period, you generally get a deferral from programmed (planned) enforcement inspections.
- SHARP. Employers who build a strong safety program and achieve OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) status earn a one-year exemption from programmed inspections, renewable each year. It is a real reward for getting your program in order.
Note this covers programmed inspections. A fatality, a serious complaint, or an imminent-danger report can still bring enforcement regardless.
How to get a visit
- Online: go to osha.gov/consultation and pick your state.
- By phone: call 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742) and ask for your state's consultation program.
It is available in all 50 states, DC, and the US territories, and construction, as a high-hazard industry, generally gets priority scheduling. The specific office and contact for your state are in Working in Your State.
Common questions
Is the OSHA consultation program really free?
Yes. The On-Site Consultation Program is free, and it is confidential. A safety professional comes to your site, surveys your hazards, and helps you fix them at no charge. The program is funded to help small and medium employers, so there is no cost and no bill at the end. Access it at osha.gov/consultation or by calling 1-800-321-OSHA.
Will OSHA cite me if I use the consultation program?
No. The consultation program is separate from OSHA enforcement, issues no citations and no penalties, and does not share what it finds with the enforcement side. That separation is the point of the program. The only commitment you make is to correct any serious hazards the consultant identifies within an agreed, reasonable timeframe.
What is OSHA SHARP?
SHARP is OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, awarded to small employers who build a strong safety program through the consultation process. Achieving SHARP earns a one-year exemption from programmed OSHA inspections, renewable each year. It recognizes that you have your safety house in order, though a fatality, serious complaint, or imminent danger can still trigger enforcement.
How do I get a free OSHA consultation for my business?
Go to osha.gov/consultation and select your state, or call 1-800-321-OSHA and ask for your state's consultation program. It is available in all 50 states, DC, and the territories, and construction usually gets priority scheduling as a high-hazard industry. Your state's specific office and contact are in Working in Your State.
The honest bit
- The On-Site Consultation Program, its confidentiality, and the SHARP one-year programmed-inspection exemption are federal OSHA in 2026. Verify current details at osha.gov/consultation.
- The program is delivered through your state, so the office, contact, and scheduling are state-specific. See Working in Your State.
- The deferral and SHARP exemption apply to programmed inspections. A fatality report, a serious signed complaint, or an imminent-danger situation can still bring an enforcement inspection.
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Templates you might need
Sources
- OSHA On-Site Consultation Program · That the consultation service is free, confidential and separate from enforcement
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