Idaho Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program
Welcome
Idaho OSHCon consultants conduct onsite consultation visits to companies that request our services, including industrial hygiene services (noise and air sampling).
Scheduling of visits depends on factors such as geographic location, the types of services requested, and the scheduling priorities set forth for our program by OSHA. The process can take two months (or more).
Our offices are open to the public during regular business hours: 8am – 5pm, Monday-Thursday, except for holidays. We are sending and receiving mail on Tuesday and Thursday mornings only.
About Us
The Idaho Occupational Safety & Health Consultation Program (OSHCon) provides free occupational safety and health services to small businesses within the state to help them understand and follow the rules and regulations required by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).
We do this mainly through onsite consultation services and our DVD lending library. Once invited to your business, our consultants can help with hazard recognition, reduction and elimination; industrial hygiene monitoring; and written program requirements. Our lending library can help you with training, and increase your knowledge of occupational safety and health.
We are funded by OSHA through the Department of Labor, but are not involved in enforcement. Our consultants do not impose penalties or fines during a visit with your business.
You can find us on the Boise State University campus in the Chrisway Annex building at 2103 University Drive in Boise. Normal business hours are 8am – 5pm, and we follow the university’s schedule for holidays.
Not an Idaho business? Check with the consultation program in your state to see what services they offer small businesses like yours. You can contact your state’s program through the OSHA website.
Why Consultation?
Between September 1, 2018, and October 30, 2019 (our most recent full-service financial year), OSHCon’s consultants visited 155 businesses throughout the state. Industries visited included Manufacturing, Construction, Agriculture, and the Service and Retail/Wholesale sectors.
During those 155 visits 2,195 serious hazards were identified, an average of 14.16 per visit. As a result of identifying those hazards, and the follow up undertaken by the employer, 11,215 people were removed from risk. Many employees were removed from multiple risks. A total of 13, 211 people were removed from risk of other than serious hazards that were identified by our consultants.
Improving workplace safety and health not only protects employees, it can reduce medical and insurance costs for employers, and increase productivity.
More information about how effective safety and health programs can save you money can be found on OSHA’s Safety Management webpage.
How Can We Help?
News and Updates
Summer Is Here, Prepare To Beat The Heat
With summer just around the corner, now is a good time to remind yourself to be aware of the potential for heat-related illnesses in the workplace. Hot and humid conditions cause dozens of deaths and thousands of cases of illness each year.
OSHA’s ongoing Heat Illness Prevention campaign includes resources for employers and employees, along with educational materials.
Recently added resources include a urine color tracking chart, which provides workers with visual queues to help them keep track of their hydration status – a key factor in avoiding heat-related illnesses. The chart is currently available in English and Spanish, and can be downloaded for free from OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention webpage. You can also contact the Idaho Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Program office for copies.
OSHA Withdraws COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard
OSHA is withdrawing the vaccination and testing emergency temporary standard (ETS) issued on Nov. 5, 2021, to protect unvaccinated employees of large employers with 100 or more employees from workplace exposure to coronavirus. The withdrawal is effective January 26, 2022.
Although OSHA is withdrawing the vaccination and testing ETS as an enforceable emergency temporary standard, the agency is not withdrawing the ETS as a proposed rule. The agency is prioritizing its resources to focus on finalizing a permanent COVID-19 Healthcare Standard.
For more information, please refer to OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS webpage and Federal Register Notice.