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maintainingConsultation assistance is available to small employers (with fewer than 250 -employees <br />at a fixed site and no more than 500 corporatewide) who want help in establishing and <br />r safe and healthful workplace. <br />Funded largely by OSHA, the service is provided at no cost to the employer. Primarily <br />developed for smaller employers with more hazardous operations, the consultation <br />service is delivered by state governments employing professional safety and health <br />consultants. No penalties are proposed or citations issued for hazards identified by the <br />consultant. The employer's only obligation is to correct all identified serious hazards <br />within the agreed-upon correction time frame. <br />OSHA provides consultation assistance to the employer with the assurance that his or her <br />name and firm and any information about the workplace will not be routinely reported to <br />OSHA enforcement staff. <br />If an employer fails to eliminate or control a serious hazard within the agreed-upon time <br />frame, the consultation project manager must refer the situation to the OSHA <br />enforcement office for appropriate action. This is a rare occurrence, however, because <br />employers request the service for the expressed purpose of identifying and fixing hazards <br />in their workplaces. <br />Yes. Under the consultation program, certain exemplary employers may request <br />participation in OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). <br />Eligibility for participation in SHARP includes, but is not limited to, receiving a full-service, <br />comprehensive consultation visit, correcting all identified hazards, and developing an <br />effective safety and health management system. <br />Employers accepted into SHARP may receive an exemption from programmed inspections <br />(not complaint or accident investigation inspections) for a period of 1 year initially, or 2 <br />years upon renewal. For more information concerning consultation assistance, see the <br />consultation directory at the end of this publication, contact your regional or area OSHA <br />office, or visit OSHA's website at www.osha.gov. <br />What is the Voluntary Protection Program? <br />Voluntary Protection Programs (VPPs) represent one part of OSHA's effort to extend <br />worker protection beyond the minimum required by OSHA standards. VPP -- along with <br />onsite consultation services, full-service area offices, and OSHA's Strategic Partnership <br />Program (OSPP) -- represents a cooperative approach which, when coupled with an <br />effective enforcement program, expands worker protection to help meet the goals of the <br />OSH Act. <br />How does the Voluntary Protection Program work? <br />There are three levels of VPPs: Star, Merit, and Demonstration. All are designed to do the <br />following: <br />