About Us

Our mission is to advance and improve workplace safety and health for all workers in Oregon.

Oregon OSHA

Oregon OSHA, a division of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, operates under a state-plan agreement with federal OSHA.

When people are injured or die in work-related accidents, their families and employers bear the burden. But the human suffering and the economic costs are preventable.

Who we are

In 1971, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) became part of national labor law. Two years later, Oregon passed its own occupational safety and health legislation, the Oregon Safe Employment Act (OSEA). OSEA authorized Oregon OSHA to enforce the state's workplace safety and health rules.

Oregon OSHA, a division of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, operates under a state-plan agreement with federal OSHA.

What we do

We're dedicated to improving occupational safety and health in Oregon. We're committed to working with labor, business, and other government agencies to provide every worker in Oregon a safe and healthful workplace.
We accomplish our mission in the following ways:

• Enforcement

  Our compliance officers inspect workplaces, provide pre-job conferences to employers, and offer hazard-abatement assistance to employers who have received citations. Other enforcement staff members investigate workplace fatalities and serious injuries. Scheduled inspections are based on criteria reflecting an employer's history of workplace injuries and illnesses, previous Oregon OSHA inspections, number of employees, and an overall hazard rating of the employer's industry. Compliance officers also conduct workplace inspections on referral and complaints of unsafe working conditions.

  
  

• Occupational health laboratory

  We operate a nationally certified occupational health laboratory in Portland. This well-equipped lab analyzes samples collected by compliance officers and consultants to determine chemical compositions and concentrations of hazardous substances to which workers may be exposed.

  
  

• Consultative services

  Our consultants in the fields of workplace safety, industrial hygiene, and ergonomics can help you reduce lost-time accident costs and show you how to make your workplace safer by developing a comprehensive program to manage safety and health.

  • Safety consultants will help you identify and correct hazards such as those associated with machines, industrial vehicles, electrical devices, material-handling equipment, and working surfaces.
  • Industrial hygiene consultations will help you identify and monitor employee exposure to health hazards such as noise, air contaminants, and toxic chemicals.
  • Ergonomic consultations will help you develop effective, practical ways to reduce overexertion injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and lower-back strains.

  
  Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). If you're committed to a safer workplace, SHARP will reward your efforts. When you become a SHARP participant, your employees, business partners, and the community know you are committed to safety.

  
  

  Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). VPP rewards employers who exceed Oregon's occupational safety and health requirements and become industry leaders in their commitment to workplace safety.

  
  

• Standards and technical resources

  The Standards and Technical Resources Section writes and publishes Oregons standards for occupational safety and health. This section also provides technical assistance and produces innovative safe-practice guidebooks on many topics for employers and employees.

  
  

  The Oregon OSHA Resource Center has a lending library offering hundreds of videos and an extensive collection of books and journals covering all aspects of workplace safety and health. The Resource Center, in Salem, is open to the public, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Publications may also be ordered online at any time.

  
  

• Public education

  Oregon OSHA offers free year-round training workshops throughout Oregon and online classes for employers and employees.

  
  

  General classes cover basic safety and health management, safety committee activities, recordkeeping, and accident investigation. Technical classes include topics such as ergonomics, hazard communication, fall protection, and lockout/tagout.

  
  

• Conferences

  Oregon OSHA co-hosts conferences throughout Oregon that enable employees and employers to learn and share ideas with local and nationally recognized safety and health professionals. The biennial Governor's Occupational Safety and Health Conference in Portland is the Pacific Northwest's largest safety and health show.

  
  

• Scholarships and training grants

  The Workers Memorial Scholarship is open to applicants who are high school graduates, graduating high school seniors, GED recipients, current undergraduates, or graduate students who are dependents or spouses of workers killed or permanently disabled by on-the-job injuries.

  The Education and Training Grant program awards grants to nonprofit organizations, labor groups, and educational institutions to develop innovative training materials in the area of workplace safety and health for Oregon employees and employers.

  
  

• Appeals and informal conferences

  Appeals specialists review appealed citations and conduct informal conferences with employers throughout the state. Informal conferences resolve about 90 percent of appealed cases. Unresolved contested cases are referred to the Workers Compensation Board Hearings Division.

  
  

Questions?

OR-OSHA has field offices across Oregon. If you have questions or need information, call us toll-free, (800) 922-2689, or call the office nearest you.