OSHA “Occupational Safety and Health Administration”

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1970

“To assure safe and healthful working

conditions for working men and women;

by authorizing enforcement of the

standards developed under the Act; by

assisting and encouraging the States in

their efforts to assure safe and healthful

working conditions; by providing for

research, information, education, and

training in the field of occupational safety

and health...”

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT CONTINUED…

• This act was passed to prevent people from being harmed or killed at work.

• This act created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or (OSHA), which sets and enforces protective safety and health standards in the workplace.

• (OSHA) also can provide information, training and assistance to employees and employers.

WORKERS RIGHTS UNDER OSHA ACT.

• The OSHA act gives workers the right to safe and healthful working conditions.

• You can file a complaint to OSHA to have workplace inspected.

• Training must be done in a language you can understand.

• You can receive copies of test done and monitoring to measure hazards in the workplace.

• Get copies of workplace medical records.

EMPLOYER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Employers must provide their employees with a workplace that does not have serious hazards and must follow all OSHA safety and health standards.

• They also must find and correct all health and safety problems.

WHO DOES OSHA COVER?

• OSHA covers most private sector employees and employers in all 50 states.

• 22 states have OSHA approved programs.

OSHA DOESN’T COVER…

• Self- employed

• Immediate family members of farm employers

• Workplace hazards regulated by another federal agency. For example, the mine safety and administration.

OSHA STANDARS INCLUDE REQUIREMENTS TO:

• Provide fall protection

• Prevent trenching cave-ins

• Give safety to workers that enter confined spaces

• Prevent exposure to high levels of noise that can cause hearing damage

• Put guards on machines

• Prevent exposure to harmful levels of substances

• Provide workers with respirators and other needed safety equipment

• Train workers in a language they can understand

Requirements continued…

• Must have the right to be provided protective equipment free of charge, (goggles, respirators, earplugs, etc.)

• Must have the right to information that employers collect on hazards in the work place.

• Also required that employers must use different ways to inform their employees, such as warning signs, color-coding, signals, and training.

DIFFERENT RIGHTS IN THE WORKPLACE COVERED BY OSHA

• Right to know about your laws and your rights

• Right to get copies of workplace injury and illness records

• Right to exposure data

• Right to your medical records

• Right to File a Complaint with OSHA to Request an On-site OSHA Inspection

HOW TO FILE A COMPLAINT TO OSHA

• Mail or submit the OSHA complaint form

• Online at, www.osha.gov

• Call OSHA at, 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)

WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION

• Protection from discrimination means that an employer cannot retaliate by taking “adverse action” against workers such as…

• Blacklisting

• Demoting

• Making threats