U.S. Department of Labor
Program Highlights

Fact Sheet No. OSHA 95-44

OSHA EMERGENCY HOT-LINE
* 1-800-321-OSHA

* Free Hot-Line for reporting LIFE-THREATENING WORKPLACE HAZARDS

* 24-Hour Emergency Service

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides a free hot-line for reporting workplace safety or health emergencies. The service provides a 24-hour point of contact so that those who want to notify OSHA as soon as possible of imminent dangers on the job can do so.

Two kinds of service--effective October 21, 1991,--will assist callers to the OSHA hot line. The type of service will depend upon the time of the initiating call.

Daytime Calls

For telephone calls received during normal working hours--between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. local time Monday through Friday--the answering operator requests the callers' name (optional), a daytime telephone number (also optional), and a zip code (required). The caller is asked to hold while the representative determines the appropriate area office and then transfers the call to that office.

If the transfer is completed, the representative notes the Cale's disposition; if the transfer for a complaint is unsuccessful, a manual callback form will be completed and telefaxed to the area office. The caller is assured of a callback.

For an unsuccessful transfer of a call determined to be an emergency, alternate numbers and contact persons to OSHA will be tried. The transfer will be repeated until the transfer is successful.

After-Hour Calls

After normal working hours--4:30 p.m. until 8 a.m. local time, Monday through Friday and all day Saturday, Sunday and during official government holidays--the same information as day time calls is requested with the additional request for the best time for a callback.

If the caller expressly states that the call is an emergency, an information form is completed and the caller is assured that the appropriate representative will be contacted immediately. The information regarding the location of the emergency is verbally provided to the OSHA representative.

If the call is not an emergency, the nature of the complaint is noted by the operator and telefaxed to the appropriate area office. These call reports are telefaxed to the area

This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion.


Joe Tedesco, NEC Consultant