PHR · Question #35
OSHA may inspect a workplace at any time. The purpose of these inspections is to maintain safety for all workers. OSHA has established five priorities for workplace inspections. Which one of the follo
The correct answer is D. Imminent danger, catastrophes and fatal accidents, employee complaints, planned inspections in. OSHA's five inspection priorities are ordered from most to least urgent based on threat severity, with imminent danger and catastrophes ranked above reactive complaints and proactive planned inspections.
Question
OSHA may inspect a workplace at any time. The purpose of these inspections is to maintain safety for all workers. OSHA has established five priorities for workplace inspections. Which one of the following statements is the correct order of most important OSHA priorities to least important OSHA priorities?
Options
- AImminent danger, planned inspections in high-hazard industries, employee complaints,
- BImminent danger, catastrophes and fatal accidents, planned inspections in high-hazard industries,
- CImminent danger, catastrophes and fatal accidents, planned inspections in high-hazard industries,
- DImminent danger, catastrophes and fatal accidents, employee complaints, planned inspections in
How the community answered
(36 responses)- A3% (1)
- B3% (1)
- C11% (4)
- D83% (30)
Why each option
OSHA's five inspection priorities are ordered from most to least urgent based on threat severity, with imminent danger and catastrophes ranked above reactive complaints and proactive planned inspections.
This choice incorrectly elevates planned inspections in high-hazard industries above employee complaints, reversing their proper priority ranking.
This choice places planned high-hazard industry inspections ahead of employee complaints, which does not match the established OSHA enforcement priority order.
Like choice B, this option incorrectly ranks planned inspections above employee complaints, misstating the OSHA priority sequence.
The correct OSHA priority order is: imminent danger, catastrophes and fatal accidents, employee complaints, referrals from other agencies, and then planned inspections in high-hazard industries. Answer D correctly places employee complaints above planned high-hazard inspections, reflecting that reactive responses to reported harm take precedence over programmatic scheduled inspections. This hierarchy ensures regulatory resources are deployed where life-threatening conditions are most immediate.
Concept tested: OSHA workplace inspection priority order
Source: https://www.osha.gov/enforcement
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