copyright © 2008 introduction to osha
TRANSCRIPT
Copyright © 2008
Introduction to OSHA
Copyright © 2008
Review of OSHA
• Fair Labor Standards Act– The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938
requires employers to pay employees a standard minimum wage as well as overtime wages for working more than 40 hours per week. This law also provides some specific safety guidelines for young workers.
• Occupational Safety and Health Act– The Occupational Safety and Health Act
of 1970 is the most important law for workplace safety. This law requires employers to provide a safe work environment for all employees.
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OSHA Standards
• Encourages employers and employees to work together to reduce workplace hazards and implement or improve safety and health programs.
• Develops and encourages mandatory job standards in the areas of occupational safety and health.
• Maintains a reporting and recordkeeping system to monitor job-related illnesses and injuries.
• Provides assistance, training, and other support programs to help employees and workers.
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OSHA Standards
• Who does OSHA cover?– All employees and their employers under Federal Government
authority.– Coverage is provided either directly by OSHA or through an
OSHA-recognized state program.
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OSHA Standards
• Who is not covered by OSHA?– Self-employed or immediate members of farm families that do
not employ outside workers.– Public employees in state and local governments. This includes
fire fighters, police, and other public servants (except for states with recognized plans).
– Employees whose working conditions are regulated by other federal agencies, including mine workers, certain truck and rail workers, and atomic energy workers .
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OSHA Standards
Some states have issued their own state plans. These plans are OSHA-recognized job safety and health programs operated by individual states instead of OSHA. These plans must:
– Provide standards and enforcement programs equal to those of the federal OSHA programs.
– Cover most private sector employees, as well as state and local government workers within that state.
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OSHA Standards
OSHA covers four categories of business. These include:
– General Industry.– Construction.– Maritime.– Agriculture.
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Employers’ Responsibilities
• Providing a safe and healthy workplace.• Maintaining records of work-related illnesses and
injuries.• Reporting potential dangers to a supervisor or safety
committee.• Reporting recurring hazardous conditions to OSHA.• Following OSHA’s “General Duty Clause” when OSHA
has not issued a specific standard.• Reading the OSHA poster.• Writing and enforcing standards.
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Employers’ Responsibilities
The “General Duty Clause” states: Each employer “shall furnish…a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing, or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.”
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Employer’s Responsibilities
OSHA also requires employers to follow the Recordkeeping and Reporting regulations. These regulations include:
– Employers of 11 or more employees must maintain records of occupational injuries and illnesses.
– All employers must report to OSHA within eight hours of any accident that results in a fatality or in-patient hospitalization of three or more employees.
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Workers’ Rights and Responsibilities
• According to the OSHA Act, employees have the right to seek safe and healthy work conditions on the job without being disciplined or fired.
• They also have the right to complain to OSHA in person, by phone, by mail, or through OSHA’s web site about workplace conditions that may be threatening to their health or safety.
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Workers’ Rights and Responsibilities
Worker responsibilities include:– Reading the OSHA Poster at the jobsite.– Complying with all applicable OSHA standards.– Following all lawful employer safety and health rules and
regulations, and wearing or using prescribed protective equipment while working.
– Reporting hazardous conditions to the supervisor.– Reporting any job-related injury or illness to the employer, and
seek treatment promptly.– Exercising rights under the Act in a responsible manner.
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Inspections
• Most inspections are conducted without notice. • Inspectors look for:
– Imminent Danger.– Fatalities and Catastrophes.– Employee Complaints/Referrals.– Programmed High-Hazard Inspections.– Follow-ups to Previous Inspections.
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Inspections
During Walkaround Inspection, the following is to be expected:
– The Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) and accompanying representatives (employer and employee) inspect the establishment for potentially hazardous working conditions.
– CSHO discusses possible corrective actions with the employer.– CSHO may converse, at times privately, with employees.
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OSHA Consultations
OSHA also provides consultation assistance free of cost to the employer.
These consultations are:– Developed for smaller business employers with more hazardous
operations.– Delivered by state government agencies or universities
employing professional safety and health consultations.– Given with no penalties proposed or citations issued, unless the
employer fails to eliminate or control any serious hazards or imminent danger.
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Learn More
To find out more about these consultations and any other OSHA standards:
– OSHA’s web site: www.osha.gov.– OSHA Emergency Hot-Line: 1(800)321-OSHA.