Why is job safety and health important?

1. How does OSHA contribute to job safety and health?

2. The primary goal of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to carry out the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), which Congress originally passed in 1970. The OSH Act has undergone several amendments and revisions since its inception, but it is still in place “to assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the Nation safe and healthful working conditions to preserve our human resources.”

3. When working with OSHA, you may do the following:

4. •Request identification from OSHA compliance officers

5. Request an inspection warrant

6. Receive a reason for inspection from compliance officers

7. Accompany compliance officers on inspections

8. What are employees’ responsibilities?

9. All employees are obligated to help prevent exposure to workplace safety and health hazards by becoming familiar with and adhering to all applicable OSHA requirements.

10. What are employees’ rights?

11. Receive adequate, OSHA-required safety and health training on toxic substances and emergency action plan(s)

12. Are all employees covered by the OSH Act?

13. The OSH Act covers all employees except public employees in state and local governments and those who are self-employed. Public employees in state and local governments are covered by their state’s OSHA-approved plan, if applicable. Federal employees are covered under the OSH Act’s federal employee occupational safety and health programs, which are outlined in 29 CFR Part 1960. United States Postal Service employees, however, are subject to the same OSH Act coverage provisions as those in the private sector.

14. Why is OSHA important to your business?

15. OSHA plays a key role in making your facility a safe, healthy place to work. Beyond providing the tools and guidance to work toward an injury- and illness-free workplace, OSHA is important to identifying businesses that are not committed to safety. Employers that do not carefully follow OSHA regulations often face hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in fines.

16. With regards to OSHA regulations, employees have the right, among other actions, to:

17. Review employer-provided OSHA standards, regulations and requirements

18. Request information from the employer on emergency procedures