Las Vegas, NV December 11, 2020
The
Division of Industrial Relations has received several reports indicating that
individuals - posing as Nevada OSHA officials - are making contact with
businesses in northern Nevada. The
division is providing the following information for the education and safety of
employers and their staff.
How can a business
be sure that the person presenting themselves is an official OSHA inspector and
not an impersonator?
OSHA
inspectors are required to present their credentials whenever they make contact
with management representatives, employees (to conduct interviews) or organized
labor representatives while conducting an official inspection. At the beginning
of the inspection the OSHA inspector will locate the owner representative,
operator, or agent in charge at the workplace and present credentials.
Can an OSHA
inspector issue a citation on the spot?
No, OSHA
inspectors must follow specific protocols to conduct an inspection and do not
issue citations or assess penalties on the spot.
What should
a business do if it suspects a person is impersonating an OSHA official?
If you suspect
a person is impersonating an OSHA inspector, ask the person to present their
credentials and get their name. Write down any other information that may be
helpful to identify the individual. Report the incident to Nevada OSHA at (702)
486-9020 or (775) 688-3700. If the person is posing an imminent threat or
disruption, please contact local law enforcement.
What are
the consequences of impersonating an OSHA inspector?
It is a
misdemeanor to impersonate an OSHA inspector.
NRS 199.430 Impersonation of officer. Every person who shall falsely personate
a public officer, civil or military, or a police officer, or a private
individual having special authority by law to perform an act affecting the
rights or interests of another, or who, without authority shall assume any
uniform or badge by which such an officer or person is lawfully distinguished,
and in such assumed character shall do any act purporting to be official,
whereby another is injured or defrauded, shall be guilty of a gross
misdemeanor.
About
the Division of Industrial Relations:
The
Nevada Division of Industrial Relations (DIR) is the principal regulatory
agency responsible for workplace safety and worker protections in the state of
Nevada. Comprised of five sections –Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, Workers’ Compensation Section, Mechanical Compliance Section,
Mine Safety and Training Section, and the Safety Consultation and Training
Section – DIR works to protect Nevada’s working men and women and provides a
broad scope of training and support to the regulated community. For more
information please visit http://dir.nv.gov.
About
Nevada OSHA:
Nevada
OSHA operates as an approved state program as defined by section 18 of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and is required by the Act to
operate in a manner that is at least as effective as the federal OSHA
enforcement program. Operating out of district offices in Las Vegas and
Reno, Nevada OSHA conducts inspections and investigations intended to identify
hazardous conditions which could harm Nevada’s workers and enforces state and
federal laws protecting the state’s workers. The Nevada State Plan, at the time
of publication of this media release, is funded by a grant of $1,602,700
federal funds, which is matched by $1,602,700 in state funding. An additional
$6,182,619 in state funds are used to support Nevada OSHA. The total program
budget is $9,388,019. For more
information visit http://dir.nv.gov/OSHA/home.
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