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DOL > IOSHA > IOSHA FAQs IOSHA FAQs

How do I contact IOSHA?

IOSHA can be reached by telephone, fax, or email.

You can reach IOSHA information, Construction Safety, or Industrial Compliance by calling 317-232-2655.

You can fax IOSHA at 317-233-3790.

You can email Jeffry Carter, Deputy Commissioner – IOSHA, at jecarter@dol.in.gov.

How do I file a complaint with IOSHA?

To make a complaint, you will need the following information:

  • Name, Address, and Telephone Number of Employer (Company)
  • Your relationship to the Employer (ie, employee, ex-employee, union representative, or relative of employee)
  • Description of the possible violation(s), including
    • exact location in company where it/they occur(s) (area of room, bay number, machine number, etc) 
    • number of employees exposed
  • Type of Business (what the business does at that location)
  • Name of Management Official that you have talked to about your concern

Put your complaint in writing. Be sure to include your name, address, and telephone number, so we may contact you if we have any questions.  This information is kept confidential from your employer.  You may make your complaint anonymously if you are concerned about this. 

Sign your written complaint and either fax it to the Complaint Duty Officer at 317-234-4428, or mail it to:

 Indiana Department of Labor – IOSHA
 Attn: Complaint Duty Officer
 402 West Washington Street
 Room W195
 Indianapolis, IN 46204

You may also call and speak with the Complaint Duty Officer, at 317-232-2693.

Your complaint will be assessed to determine if the problems fall under IOSHA jurisdiction.  If you are an employee, representative of employees, or relative of an employee, and submitted your complaint in writing with a signature, it will be assigned to a Compliance Officer for inspection.  If you included your contact information when you filed your complaint, you will receive a copy of any safety orders (citations) issued to the company after they have been issued.

If you are an ex-employee, wish to remain anonymous, or if you do not sign your complaint, a letter will be sent to the company listing the possible violations and requiring proof of abatement.

How do I report an accident or fatality to IOSHA?

If during normal business hours (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday), call 317-232-2693.  Identify the call as a fatality/catastrophe report.  You will be transferred to an IOSHA official who will request the following information:

  • The establishment name.
  • The location of the incident.
  • The time of the incident.
  • The number of fatalities or hospitalized employees.
  • The names of any injured employees.
  • The name of the employer’s contact person, and his/her telephone number
  • A brief description of the incident.

If not during normal business hours or on a holiday, please call the federal OSHA Hotline at 800-321-OSHA (800-321-6742) and speak with the duty officer.

A catastrophe is an incident that results in three or more employees being hospitalized overnight.

Reporting the incident by fax or email is prohibited.

How do I get copies of IOSHA case files or company histories?

You will need to make a written request for a copy of an IOSHA case file.  Mail your request to:

 Indiana Department of Labor – IOSHA
 Case History Request
 402 West Washington Street
 Room W195
 Indianapolis, IN 46204

You may also fax or e-mail your request, Attention: IOSHA Case History Request, to 317-233-3790 or kbrewer@dol.in.gov.

How can I get an IOSHA poster?

Call 317-232-2655 to request free IOSHA posters.  You can also fax or e-mail your request, Attention: IOSHA Posters, to 317-233-3790 or kbrewer@dol.in.gov.

If you wish to make your request by US mail, address it to:

 Indiana Department of Labor – IOSHA
 Poster Request
 402 West Washington Street
 Room W195
 Indianapolis, IN 46204

You may also visit the Indiana Department of Labor office in Indianapolis, at:

 402 West Washington Street
 Room W195

A sheet listing all required state and federal employment posters, along with the telephone numbers where they can be requested, is included with each IOSHA poster request.

You may download the IOSHA safety poster.  This poster measures 8.5 inches x 14 inches, which is the minimum required size.

How do I get a job with IOSHA?

All employment applications must be submitted electronically to the Indiana State Personnel Department, which includes search function for all state employment.

How do I get copies of the IOSHA/OSHA regulations?

Hard copies of the regulations can be purchased from:

  • Federal Government: 202-512-1800
  • Commerce Clearing House: 317-788-8995
  • Hoosier Safety Council: 317-573-7233 (Part 1910, Occupational Safety and Health Standards only)
  • Label Master: 800-621-5808

  • OSHA publication orders online.

Many OSHA Fact Sheets, Publications, and Regulations are available for free download online.

Can my employer make me work when it’s too hot/cold in my workplace?

Generally speaking, yes.  There are no regulations dealing specifically with working in hot or cold environments.  In certain extreme cases, the employer may be subject to citation under the General Duty clause.

Does my employer have to give me a break during my work shift?

Generally speaking, no.  However, employers are required to provide breaks to employees under 18 years of age.  For more information about these workers, please visit Child Labor.

What are my rights as an employer/employee under IOSHA rules?

Employer rights can be found in OSHA publication 3000, “Employer Rights and Responsibilities Following an OSHA Inspection,” which may be downloaded here.

Employee rights are found in OSHA publication 3021, “Employee Workplace Rights,” which may be downloaded here.

Do IOSHA regulations cover smoking in the workplace?

IOSHA regulations related to smoking have to do with creating fire and/or explosion hazards.  There are no IOSHA regulations related to second-hand smoke.

Do IOSHA regulations deal with workplace violence?

IOSHA does not investigate random acts of violence – this is a police matter.  Under certain circumstance, IOSHA does investigate workplace violence where employer policies may have put certain employees at a higher degree of risk.  Examples might include pizza delivery drivers or cashiers at 24-hour markets.  In these cases, for example, employer cash handling policies might contribute to an employee’s vulnerability and thus be subject to review by IOSHA.

The US Department of Labor has issued “Recommendations for Workplace Violence Prevention Programs in Late-Night Retail Establishments” (OSHA 3153), which may be downloaded here.

Another document which may be of interest is “Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Health Care & Social Service Workers” (OSHA 3148).  This document may be downloaded here.

Does IOSHA have a standard dealing with poor indoor air quality?

Generally speaking, no.  However, individual contaminants in the air may be regulated by existing IOSHA rules for each individual contaminant.

If I file a complaint, am I entitled to the findings?

Yes.  If you included your contact information when you filed your complaint, you will receive a letter responding to each of your complaint items, and a copy of any safety orders (citations) issued to the company after they have been issued.  If you did not provide contact information, you will not be automatically sent this information.

What is the difference between a formal and a non-formal complaint?

A formal complaint is a complaint made by an employee, representative of employees, or relative of an employee who has provided their written signature for the complaint.  Formal complaints are assigned to a Compliance Officer for inspection.

Non-formal complaints are complaints made anonymously, by former employees, or by individuals who did not provide their written signature for the complaint.  Non-formal complaints cause a letter to be sent to the company listing the possible violations and requiring proof of abatement.

What are my rights if I disagree with the findings of a complaint?

You may telephone IOSHA at 317-232-2655 to request an Informal Conference.  An informal conference is an opportunity to discuss the inspection, the complaint, settlement, or other related issues.  It may be requested by:

  • an employer who has received safety orders,
  • affected employees, or
  • authorized employee representatives (unions).

Informal conferences may be held in person or over the telephone.  Informal conferences must be requested and conducted within fifteen working days of the employer’s receipt of safety orders/notification of penalties/citations.

You may also choose to file a written petition for review/contest of the safety orders/notification of penalties/citations.  This provides the opportunity for an employer to present evidence and argue about the safety orders.  This process also provides affected employees or union representatives the opportunity to present evidence and argue about the abatement dates established by the safety orders.  Regardless of the source of the contest, all arguments are done before an independent body called the Indiana Board of Safety Review.

Written notices of contest must be done in writing, postmarked before midnight of the fifteenth working day after the employer’s receipt of the safety orders, addressed to:

 Indiana Department of Labor – IOSHA
 402 West Washington Street
 Room W195
 Indianapolis, IN 46204

The notice may also be faxed to 317-232-3790.

 If you are an employer, your notice of contest/petition for review must include the following:

  • The inspection number of the safety orders you are contesting.
  • A specific statement of what you are contesting.
  • A statement of the basis for the contest.

If you are an affected employee or union representative, your notice of contest/petition for review should contain the following:

  • The inspection number of the safety orders which contain the abatement date with which you disagree.
  • A specific statement of which items contain abatement dates which you contest are not reasonable.

More details on this process are found in the IOSHA Closing Conference Guide, which may be downloaded here.

What is INSafe and why do I only hear about it after an inspection?

INSafe, formerly known as BuSET, is a division of the Indiana Department of Labor that works with employers, employees, labor unions, professional groups, trade organizations and others to ensure workplace health and safety.  They are not allowed to assist you during an inspection, but you may request their services after the fifteen day post-inspection contest period passes.

For more information about INSafe, please visit INSafe online.

Does IOSHA ever reveal who filed a complaint?

No.  It is illegal for IOSHA to reveal this information.

How long does an inspection take?

It varies, depending on what kind of inspection (complaint vs. general schedule “wall to wall”), how many complaint items, the kind of issues raised by a complaint, the number of inspectors assigned to the inspection, and for many other considerations.

Are compliance officers assigned a certain area of the state to cover?

Generally, yes.  However, compliance officers are frequently assigned out of their areas, depending on, among other reasons, the skill set needed for a particular inspection and the number of compliance officers available to perform inspections in an area of the state.

How much are we going to be fined for these issues?

Fines vary, depending on, among other things, the severity and probability of the issue, the employer’s past history, the employer’s health, safety, and training programs, and the number of employees.

Can management sit in on the employee interviews?

No.  Interviews are confidential between the compliance officer and the employee.  If there is a designated employee representative (usually a union official), that individual may also sit in on an employee interview, but only at the employee’s request.

Can an inspection be rescheduled for a better time?

No.  Inspections are unannounced so the compliance officer has an opportunity to see the workplace and ongoing work as it us normally performed.

Does OSHA provide warnings before fining employers?

No.  While warnings may be given at the discretion of a compliance officer, an employer may be subject to fines, as circumstances warrant, as a result of any inspection.

Do the regulations apply to small employers too?

Yes, IOSHA regulations apply to employers of all sizes.

The US Department of Labor has published the “OSHA Handbook for Small Businesses” (OSHA 2209).  The intent of this handbook is to assist small business employers in meeting the legal requirements imposed by and under the authority of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, and to achieve an in-compliance status voluntarily prior to an inspection performed.  It may be downloaded here.

How can I get OSHA injury logs and report forms?

A package of OSHA forms for recording work-related injuries and illnesses (includes OSHA 300 Log, OSHA 300A Summary, 301 Report, and instructions), in a PDF format, may be downloaded here.

The same package, without instructions, in an Excel spreadsheet format, may be downloaded here.

What is a catastrophe?

A catastrophe is a work-related incident which results in the in-patient hospitalization of three or more employees for at least one night.  Catastrophes must be reported to OSHA within 8 hours.  For more information on how to report a catastrophe, please click here.

Do amputations or power press accidents have to be reported to IOSHA?

Power press accidents and amputations have to be reported to IOSHA, in writing, within 30 days of the accident.  You will need to include the following information in your report:

  • Name and address of the company.
  • Type of business.
  • Name, job title, and telephone number of the person reporting the incident.
  • Event date and time.
  • Type of equipment involved.
  • Name, age, and occupation of the injured employee.
  • A brief description of the incident.

The report may be mailed to:

 Indiana Department of Labor – IOSHA
 402 West Washington Street
 Room W195
 Indianapolis, IN 46204

If you wish to fax the report, send it, Attention IOSHA, to 317-232-3790.

Can I refuse to do work that I think is unsafe without being fired?

If your employer asks you to do work you think is unsafe, your options are limited, as if you refuse to work your employment may be terminated.  Two options are to suggest an alternate, safer way of doing the work to your employer, or requesting assignment to a different task at work.

Employers are not allowed to terminate the employment of an employee who is engaged in a “protected activity.”  Protected activities include raising health and/or safety concerns with their employers.  If you think you may have had your employment terminated for raising these concerns, please call the Indiana Department of Labor’s Whistleblower Protection Unit at 317-234-3946.

What can I do if I think I’m being discriminated against at work?

The Indiana Department of Labor only deals with discrimination against employees who have raised health or safety concerns at work.  If you think you may have been discriminated against for raising these concerns, please call the Whistleblower Protection Unit at 317-234-3946.

If you think you have been discriminated against for other reasons, please call the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) at 317-226-7212.

What is VPP?

The Voluntary Protection Program, or VPP, is a way for IOSHA to recognize and partner with businesses and worksites that show excellence in occupational safety and health.  Sites are committed to effective employee protection beyond the requirements of OSHA standards.  VPP participants develop and implement systems to effectively identify, evaluate, prevent, and control occupational hazards to prevent employee injuries and illnesses.  As a result, the average VPP worksite has a lost workday incidence rate more than 50% below the average of its industry.  In return, OSHA removes participants from programmed inspection lists.

For more information, please visit Voluntary Protection Program.

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