50 Years of the OSHA On-Site Consultation Program
The OSHA On-Site Consultation Program offers no-cost, confidential occupational safety and health services specifically tailored for small and medium-sized businesses. Consultants from state agencies or universities collaborate directly with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide guidance on correcting these hazards, advise on complying with OSHA standards, deliver training and education for workers, and assist businesses in developing effective safety and health programs. These services are provided separately from OSHA's enforcement activities.
As demonstrated in the timeline, the On-Site Consultation Program has significantly evolved since its establishment in 1975, growing into a nationwide resource serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. territories. From its early efforts in 1977 to include more states, achieving full national coverage by 1979, the program expanded in 1984 to address not only hazard correction but also comprehensive safety and health management systems. Key milestones, such as surpassing 1 million visits by 2010, providing critical assistance following disasters like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, and introducing valuable resources like the Safety and Health Program Assessment Worksheet (Form 33) and the Small Business Handbook app, illustrate its wide-ranging impact. Initiatives like the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) further demonstrate the program's long-term commitment to workplace safety, contributing an estimated economic benefit of $1.5 billion annually.
As shown through the program's history, OSHA remains deeply committed to supporting small businesses by providing essential, practical solutions that enhance workplace safety and health. Through five decades, the On-Site Consultation Program has enabled countless employers to proactively safeguard their employees, build stronger businesses, and foster resilient workplaces where both businesses and their workers thrive.
1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
1970s
"Working with the On-Site Consultation Program saved us money. Our workers’ compensation premium rates dropped 50%."
- Peggy Somerville, Vice President Somerville Fabricators, Inc., Mineral Wells, WV
1975
On May 20, 1975, OSHA launched the On-Site Consultation Program.
1977
To get more states involved in the On-Site Consultation Program, OSHA made changes so that small businesses in every state and U.S. territory can now have access to the program.
The Wisconsin Occupational Health Laboratory (WOHL) is approved to offer more industrial hygiene services to support On-Site Consultation programs.
1979
All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and several territories now have their own On-Site Consultation programs. Guam started offering these services in 1984, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands followed in 2004.
The first annual OSHA On-Site Consultation Training Conference was held, establishing a commitment to continuous improvement and professional development for consultants to help ensure consultants are well-equipped to better serve small businesses.
1980s
"In the time we have been working with [our state’s] On-site Consultation Program, we have seen our safety culture increase exponentially. Our employees feel empowered to act after we invited the consultants into our facility and agreed to let them talk directly to consultation staff without management in the room."
- Andy Purvin, Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator, Wise Plastics Technologies, Inc.
1984
OSHA expanded the On-Site Consultation Program, changing its focus from just finding and fixing hazards to also helping employers improve their overall safety and health management systems.
The Safety and Health Program Assessment Worksheet (Form 33) was introduced as a tool for consultants to use when evaluating an employer's safety and health management system.
1985
The National Association of Occupational Safety and Health Consultation Programs (OSHCON) was created, bringing together Consultation Program Managers from each program.
1986
Since the program began in 1975, the total number of On-Site Consultation visits has surpassed 250,000.
1987
The Consultation Policies and Procedures Manual was adopted.
1990s
Becoming involved with OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program is one way of giving back to our workers. Our safety and health management program is at the forefront of [our] business; it has saved us money, resulting in the hiring of new people as EWP expands its business operations.
- J. Lynn Greene, Safety Director, Edwards Wood Products, Inc.
1994
The total number of On-Site Consultation visits has surpassed 500,000.
1998
The OSHA On-Site Consultation Program was codified in the Occupational Safety and Health Act when the Compliance Assistance Authorization Act of 1998 was passed.
2000s
"The expertise that is brought to the safety table by the OSHCON representatives is second to none," said Kurt Holman, Vice President of Safety and Environmental Affairs at Lauren Concrete. The results of the efforts to provide a safe working environment for all employees and visitors have been strong. In 2023, the company's Days Away, Restricted, and/or Transferred Rate (DART) and Total Recordable Case Rate (TRC) were far below the industry average.
- Lauren Concrete, Austin, Texas
2001
OSHA On-Site Consultation programs helped with the response and cleanup efforts at the World Trade Center.
2005
OSHA On-Site Consultation programs assisted with the recovery and cleanup efforts after Hurricane Katrina.
2008
The On-Site Consultation and SHARP success stories webpage launched.
2010s
"Our SHARP involvement helps boost the culture of safety within our warehouse," said Cole Atwood, department manager at Do It Best-Mesquite. "Getting team members to 'buy into' safety can be a challenge, but being a SHARP-certified facility has made it easier, and it's been a true team effort and accomplishment."
- Do It Best, Mesquite, Nevada
2010
The total number of On-Site Consultation visits exceeded 1 million.
2015
OSHA launched the National Construction Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program Pilot, extending assistance specifically to construction and other non-fixed worksites, demonstrating OSHA’s commitment to reaching non-traditional small businesses and continually exploring new avenues to promote the benefits of the On-Site Consultation Program.
OSHA updated the size eligibility requirements for the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP), limiting participation to employers with 250 or fewer employees at the worksite and fewer than 500 employees company-wide.
2018
A working paper on the economic benefits of the On-Site Consultation Program was released, showing an estimated $1.3 billion in annual benefits through the prevention of workplace injuries and cost savings for workers and employers. A 2024 update indicates an estimated $1.5 billion in annual economic benefits.
2020s
"Since opening in 2007, we have maintained a zero-accident history for both employees and customers. We worked with [the consultation program] to take a deep dive and evaluate our safety practices to make sure we are doing everything possible to maintain zero accidents." - Dig This, Las Vegas, Nevada
2023
The On-Site Consultation brochure was released in multiple languages.
OSHA updated the Consultation Policies and Procedures Manual to give consultants standardized guidelines for evaluating small businesses under the Process Safety Management standard, ensuring consistent and high-quality assessments.
2024
OSHA and NIOSH released the Small Business Handbook app, which is based on the OSHA/NIOSH Small Business Safety and Health Handbook, to help small businesses improve workplace safety and health.
2025
OSHA marks the 50th anniversary of its On-Site Consultation Program, which since 1975 has completed nearly 1.4 million on-site visits, identified more than 6.2 million hazards, and helped protect over 155 million workers from injury or illness.