SAFETY MOMENT OF THE WEEK 
Survey: OSHA ranks low on small business regulatory concerns
Compared to some of the other regulations small businesses face, OSHA isn’t a big concern for owners, according to a new survey.
Manta’s Semi-Annual Wellness Index asked small business owners which regulatory rules were the most confusing. OSHA came in a distant fourth:
- 33% chose tax regulations as the most confusing
- 21% said the Affordable Care Act
- 15% chose new U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission crowdsourcing rules, and
- just 7% said OSHA regulations
Those were at the federal level. At the state level, small business owners said the most difficult regulations to comply with are:
- taxes (36%)
- licensing (30%), and
- labor rules (16%).
Not quite half of small business owners (41%) believe their company has been negatively impacted by recent national and local regulatory changes. More than half (51%) feel they don’t get enough warning of regulatory changes.
How much time do small business owners spend dealing with regulatory issues each week?
- 40% say 1 to 5 hours
- 10% say 6 to 10 hours, and
- 11% say more than 10 hours a week.
Owners in New York and California said that their state regulations were difficult to comply with, while owners in Texas said that their state regulations were easy to comply with.
Where do small business owners turn to better understand regulatory changes?
- 27% turn to professional advisors
- 22% go to online small business communities
- 19% get their info from the news, and
- 11% say they seek assistance from their local government.
(We hope, when it comes to OSHA regulations, you are at least thinking to consult with your inside safety professional experts!)
Manta has three suggestions for dealing with government regulations:
- Figure out where you can go for support, such as the Small Business Administration
- Join community organizations and industry associations, and
- Implement training programs around compliance.
That last suggestion is important as more small businesses get ready to hire new employees. Manta’s poll showed 36% of small business owners plan to hire new employees during the second half of 2016, compared to just 28% in the first half.
If you asked yourself where OSHA regulations rank as far as difficulty to comply with, what do you think you would say?
If you would like help on any of the topics that we present, please feel free to contact us at:
(661) 587-8633 or stop by our retail location at 3510 Allen Rd #102, Bakersfield, CA 93314.
Helping you stay safe on the job, today and tomorrow!