• UFCW.org
  • Your Rights Under OSHA
  • Resources
  • Take Action
  • Home
  • Trainings
  • Safety Committee Guide
    • Bathroom Breaks
    • Biological Hazards
    • Chemicals
    • Cold
    • Hazards
    • Health Hazards
    • Heat
    • Identifying Hazards in the Workplace
    • Methods for Controlling Hazards
    • Methods for Guarding Machines
    • Noise
    • Reducing Risks
    • Sample Contract Language
    • Sample Inspection Checklist
    • Union Action
  • Retail Hazards
  • Resources
    • Documents
    • Filing a Complaint with OSHA
    • History of OSHA
    • How to Contact OSHA
    • Introduction to OSHA
    • OSHA 300 Logs
    • Stewards’ Role in Safety & Health
    • Preventing Heat Stress at Work
    • Updates
  • Home
  • Trainings
  • Safety Committee Guide
    • Bathroom Breaks
    • Biological Hazards
    • Chemicals
    • Cold
    • Hazards
    • Health Hazards
    • Heat
    • Identifying Hazards in the Workplace
    • Methods for Controlling Hazards
    • Methods for Guarding Machines
    • Noise
    • Reducing Risks
    • Sample Contract Language
    • Sample Inspection Checklist
    • Union Action
  • Retail Hazards
  • Resources
    • Documents
    • Filing a Complaint with OSHA
    • History of OSHA
    • How to Contact OSHA
    • Introduction to OSHA
    • OSHA 300 Logs
    • Stewards’ Role in Safety & Health
    • Preventing Heat Stress at Work
    • Updates
  • UFCW.org
  • Your Rights Under OSHA
  • Resources
  • Take Action

Filing a Complaint with OSHA

  • Home
  • /
  • Additional Resources
  • /
  • Filing a Complaint with OSHA

Filing an OSHA complaint is considered a last resort that is used when all other methods of bringing the hazard to management’s attention have failed.   Filing an OSHA complaint should also be considered if the hazard poses an immediate danger of injury or death. A complaint will usually trigger an inspection of the workplace.  If violations of OSHA standards are found, then citations will be issued.  The employer will be required to correct the hazards, and possibly pay a fine.

OSHA gives workers and their representatives the right to file a complaint.  If you have a union, it is best to notify and work with your local union to file an OSHA complaint to ensure that union rights under the OSHAct are exercised in the event of an OSHA inspection.

Workers and the union have the right to:

  • Be present during the opening conference of the inspection (where the OSHA inspector explains to the company, and the employee representative(s) why the inspection is taking place, and what will be the scope of the inspection);
  • Accompany the inspector during  the  inspectionthe inspection; and
  • Be present with management during the closing conference, or have a separate closing conference with the OSHA inspector.

The union should receive copies of OSHA citations if any are issued. In the closing conference, the OSHA inspector should be reminded that a copy of the citations should be given to the union.  The citations are required to be posted at the work site for all employees to see.

  • File a complaint with OSHA

  • E-form for filing a complaint

Blog Posts by Category

  • Collective Bargaining
  • Constituency Groups
  • Corporate Responsibility
  • Health
    • Health Care
  • Legislation
  • Organizing
  • OSHA
  • Press Releases
  • Safety
    • Food Safety
  • UFCW Industries
    • Packing and Processing
    • Retail
    • Retail Food
  • UFCW Stewards
  • Updates

© 2025 UFCW Safety and Health Website.

All rights reserved.

About

This is the Safety and Health website of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. To reach the main website of the UFCW, go to www.ufcw.org.

Find us online

Back
to
top