A consultative survey is a courtesy inspection (workplace evaluation) conducted at the specific request of an employer or employer representative. The purpose of a survey is to encourage and assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees by identifying workplace hazards and violations of the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Program standards.

Surveys are conducted by the Division of Education and Training's occupational safety and health consultants who are experienced in identifying hazards related to such areas as machine safeguarding, electrical safety, fire prevention and protection, confined space entry, indoor air quality, respiratory protection, hearing conservation, and many other safety and industrial hygiene topics. The consultants are available to visit the workplace and identify safety and health hazards, discuss specific safety and health problems and concerns and assess the effectiveness of an employer’s safety and health program.

Employers seeking a consultative survey must submit a letter of request to:

Director
Division of Education and Training
Kentucky Department of Labor
1047 U.S. 127 South, Suite 4
Frankfort, KY 40601-4381

In addition to the letter of request, employers may expedite the consultative survey process by including the following:

• A completed consultation policy questionnaire.  A completed questionnaire should be mailed with the letter of request.

Consultation Services Policy and Survey Form 

(The policy information should be reviewed carefully. This outlines the services to be provided as well as a requesting employer’s obligations, which accompany consultative services. This may be kept for your reference.)

• Copies of the company’s injury and illness logs (OSHA 200/300 forms) for the last three years, if available.
  
  The submission of these records will help the consultant better prepare for the specific working conditions at the worksite and allow the Division of Education and Training to establish a baseline to measure the impact of the consultative service. Employers who have not been required to keep records or who cannot locate their records should not hesitate to submit a consultative request letter and completed agreement/questionnaire.

The Division of Education and Training will not conduct a consultative survey of any workplace under citation by the Division of Compliance. However, under certain circumstances, an abatement assistance visit may be conducted when the Division of Education and Training is assured the company is earnestly seeking assistance in correcting the violations. Also, the Division of Education and Training will not perform a consultative survey of a workplace involved in a labor dispute because observances of normal workplace activities are essential in determining hazards.

Although the format and objective of a compliance inspection and a consultative survey are basically the same, there are significant differences.

• A survey is conducted by the Division of Education and Training only upon written request by the employer or authorized company representative, whereas an enforcement inspection is conducted by the Division of Compliance without prior notice to the employer.

• Monetary penalties are not assessed for hazards identified by a consultant during consultative surveys; however, the employer agrees to correct all "SERIOUS HAZARDS" identified, whereas violations identified by the compliance officer may result in citations which have to be corrected and may be accompanied by penalties.

• All results of a survey are considered confidential in that the Division of Compliance does not have access to these files unless the employer refuses to correct any serious hazards identified during the survey.

• Employers are encouraged to have employee involvement in consultative surveys and discussion of the hazard.

The Division of Compliance and the Division of Education and Training function independently of one another without sharing information relative to their activities. Therefore, a request for a consultative survey or any other service from the Division of Education and Training does not increase the possibility of a compliance inspection.

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