What records do you have to show during an OSHA inspection?
Short answer
An OSHA compliance officer typically asks for your written programs, your training records, your equipment inspection and maintenance logs, your injury and illness records (OSHA 300, 300A, 301), and evidence of any required certifications. They also interview employees to confirm the training on paper actually happened. Records must be produced during the inspection, not assembled afterward.
The documents most often requested
- Written Hazard Communication program, chemical inventory, and accessible safety data sheets
- Written Lockout/Tagout program with machine-specific procedures and the annual periodic inspection
- Emergency action plan and evacuation procedures
- Respiratory protection program, medical evaluations, and fit test records
- Training rosters with dates, topics, and employee acknowledgments
- Forklift operator training and three-year evaluation records
- Equipment inspection logs — lifts, ladders, harnesses, extinguishers
- OSHA 300 log, 300A summary, and 301 incident reports for the retention period
- Proof of the required OSHA poster being displayed
How the interview cross-checks your paperwork
The officer will ask employees what they were trained on and when. If the roster says a topic was covered and employees cannot describe it, the record is treated as weak rather than conclusive. This is why the strongest programs pair a signed acknowledgment with a short comprehension check — the score itself becomes evidence.
The most common documentation failures
- Training happened, but there is no roster or the roster has no date
- A written program exists as a generic template that never names your equipment or chemicals
- Inspections are performed but logged nowhere
- The 300A summary was never posted for the required period
- Records exist across three binders, two laptops, and one former employee's email
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Sources
Last reviewed September 4, 2026. Educational summary based on federal OSHA standards. State plans may impose stricter requirements. Not legal advice.