OSHA's fourth priority regarding inspections is what?

• A. Imminent danger
• B. Fatality/Catastrophe
• C. Complaints and referrals
• D. Programmed inspections

Answer: (D)

OSHA organizes inspections by how quickly a hazard could harm workers and how serious the potential harm is. The highest priority goes to imminent danger situations where immediate action could prevent harm. The next level targets events with deaths or serious injuries (fatality/catastrophe). After those, inspections focus on complaints and referrals from workers or others about unsafe conditions. The fourth and ongoing category consists of programmed inspections, which are planned, scheduled checks designed to assess compliance across workplaces, often using industry risk and history data rather than a specific reported incident. So, the fourth priority is programmed inspections because they provide broad, planned coverage to ensure overall safety standards are being met, without being triggered by an single urgent hazard or reported incident.