OSHA Details

In 1970 The U.S. Congress created OSHA under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.  Congress passed the law and established OSHA.

The mission of OSHA is to save lives, prevent injuries and protect the health of America’s workers. The OSH Act stated that workers have the right to a safe workplace and that it is the employer’s responsibility to provide safe and healthy workplaces.

Forms

There are three forms you‐‐the employer‐‐must complete. OSHA forms 300 and 301 are maintained on an ongoing basis. Recordable injuries and illnesses must be entered on these forms as they occur throughout the year. The OSHA Form 300A is completed after the end of the year, summarizing the number of recordable cases that occurred. Employers may use equivalent forms in place of these forms as long as the equivalent forms contain all of the same data elements and are as easy to read as the OSHA forms. work‐related injury or illness that meets certain severity criteria must be entered on the forms within 7 calendar days of learning about its occurrence.

Most cited violations

§Most Cited Violations of 2018
1. Fall Protection (1926.501)
2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200)
3. Scaffolding – General Requirements (1926.451)
4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134)
5. Control of Hazardous Energy – Lockout/Tagout (1910.147)
6. Ladders (1926.1053)
7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178)
8. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503)
9. Machine Guarding– General Requirement (1910.212)
10. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102)

Standards

OSHA standards are rules that describe the methods that employers must use to protect their employees from hazards. There are OSHA standards for Construction work, Agriculture, Maritime operations, and General Industry, which are the standards that apply to most worksites. These standards limit the amount of hazardous chemicals workers can be exposed to, require the use of certain safe practices and equipment, and require employers to monitor hazards and keep records of workplace injuries and illnesses.

OSHA standards mandate that employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards and comply with OSHA standards. Provide training required by OSHA standards. Keep records of injuries and illnesses. Set up a reporting system; Provide copies of logs (i.e., OSHA 300), upon request; Post the annual summary; Report within 8 hours any work-related fatalities and within 24 hours, all work-related: inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye. Provide medical exams when required by OSHA standards and provide workers access to their exposure and medical records. Not discriminate against workers who exercise their rights under the Act. Post OSHA citations and abatement verification notices

Workplace practices that OSHA has created standards for include:

• Chemicals
• Protective equipment
• Fall Protection
• Guarding of open sided platforms
• Scaffolding
• Workers rights to know
• Noise ( turbulent and percussive sound can cause permanent hearing loss and OSHA limits the amount of noise in the workplace as well as has requirements for provision of ear plugs/muffs at no cost, hearing exams and engineering controls).

Workers rights

OSHA	Worker Rights
	Safe and Healthy workplace.
	Training and awareness of hazardous conditions.
	Information about injuries and illnesses in your workplace.
	The ability to complain or request a hazard rectification from their employer.
	Training as described in the OSHA standards.
	Informed of hazard exposures and access to medical records as described in the OSHA standards.
	File a complaint with OSHA.
	Participate in an OSHA inspection.
	A worker will be free from retaliation for exercising their safety and health rights.

Enforcement

OSHA enforces standards through inspections. Therefore, OSHA targets the most dangerous workplaces; industries with fatalities and serious injuries. The OSHA inspection process consists of an opening conference, a walkthrough and a closing conference with the employer. Results can take up to 6 months, after which OSHA may issue citations. These may include fines and will include dates by which hazard must be abated.

When an OSHA inspection is conducted in the workplace, workers have the right to have a worker representative accompany the inspector on the inspection. Workers can talk to the inspector privately. They may point out hazards, describe injuries, illnesses or near misses that resulted from those hazards and describe any concern you have about a safety or health issue. Workers also can find out about inspection results and abatement measures, and get involved in any meetings or hearings related to the inspection. Workers may also object to the date set for the violation to be corrected and be notified if the employer files a contest.

How workers can report violations

The OSH Act protects workers who complain to their employer, OSHA or other government agencies about unsafe or unhealthful working conditions in the workplace or environmental problems. Workers cannot be transferred, denied a raise, have their hours reduced, be fired, or punished in any other way because they exercised any right given to them under the OSHA Act.

As a manager you need to designate a location to post OSHA related information including the whistleblower rights and other safety training and procedures for your worksite.

If a worker feels they have been punished or discriminated against for using their rights, they must file a complaint with OSHA within 30 days of the alleged reprisal for most complaints. No form is required, but she or he must send a letter or call the OSHA Area Office nearest them to report the discrimination within 30 days of the alleged discrimination.

As a manager you need to know and use the designated location to post. worker safety related documents. The location of a safety bulletin board is a spot all workers have access to. All safety information. Training, standards and relevant procedures should be at that location.

Your workers can utilize inside the workplace resources, such as: their Employer or supervisor, co-workers and union representatives; Safety Data Sheet (SDS); Labels and warning signs; and/or Employee orientation manuals or other training materials.

There are many resources available to workers that want to find out more information about a safety or health issues outside of their workplace.

All workers have the right to complain to OSHA File a Complaint | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov).

Assignments

Take the OSHA quiz 2 on blackboard, Assignments Tab, Quizzes folder, OSHA quiz 2 icon.

Link to PSMS assignment Tool safety

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