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OSHA requires companies to make much information available to their employees. Typical information includes Policy Manuals that define exactly how a company complies with OSHA criteria and the Material Safety Data Sheets – among other things. Although paper methods are suitable, they are difficult to manage and are subject to continual update. An intranet may be the cost effective solution for this. |
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Meeting OSHA Criteria via an Intranet The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, requires companies to provide much information to their employees. Included in this are Policy Manuals, Material Safety Data Sheets, and related matters. Much of this information is labor intense to gather, compile, issue, and maintain. Paper copies become outdated and are subject to loss – making document control an added burden. Many companies, recognizing the value of the Internet in providing information have refined and harnessed this methodology – and limited access to its members in the form of an intranet. The intranet differs from the Internet only in that access is limited. The intranet, which is accessible 7 x 24 to a select audience, can be the ideal tool to meet many of these needs. Because the items exhibited must be approved beforehand, this becomes a perfect "controlled copy" distribution center. In addition to containing and displaying Material Safety Data Sheets, Policy Manuals, Emergency Plans, Exit Routes, etc, training media, training records, and similar elements can be posted on an intranet. Even though an intranet has limited access, the access can be even further limited – to enhance security for highly confidential information to those who "need to know". Typical candidates for this high security would include corrective action plans, internal audit information, and the likes. Larger companies can set up an intranet through its existing internal IT infrastructure and manage it from there. Smaller companies, however, cannot always afford such an infrastructure – and often fail to implement this cost effective technology. For small companies, a hosted intranet, administered externally, may be the exact, cost effective solution. If you are overwhelmed by OSHA mandated documentation needs (or any other documentation need outside of OSHA), and could benefit from a controlled access intranet, available 7 x 24, from anywhere, you may benefit from an no charge, no obligation, no charge, initial consultation on the value of an intranet for your business. While we cannot eliminate the OSHA criteria – and are not OSHA consultants, we may be able to make compliance much easier. Call today so we can discuss this further. Gene T Bohn
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