| The health and safety of employees is the | | | | their own part to do in ensuring their own safety |
| responsibility of employers, from implementing and | | | | and the safety of others. Among these |
| enforcing to restructuring and reinforcing. Laws | | | | responsibilities are:o Knowing and following the |
| regarding health and safety are passed all the | | | | health and safety rules as set by their employero |
| time, and have significantly increased safety levels | | | | Wearing the protective clothing and equipment |
| in the workplace in recent decades. According to | | | | necessary for their jobo Reading and |
| the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, | | | | understanding the OSHA requirements posted in |
| employers are required to ensure their place of | | | | the workplaceo Reporting any hazardous |
| work is hazard-free and complies with all health | | | | conditions to a supervisor or internal health and |
| and safety standards in relation to their business. | | | | safety departmento If hazardous conditions are |
| OSHA was created by Congress as a way of | | | | not corrected by the employer, reporting the |
| enforcing these standards and for provision of | | | | conditions to OSHAo Reporting job-related |
| information on health and safety, assistance to | | | | illnesses and/or injuries to their employero Seeking |
| and training for both employers and employees. | | | | immediate treatment for work-related illnesses |
| OSHA has regional offices throughout the United | | | | and/or injurieso Exercising their OSHA rights |
| States, each of which is under either Federal | | | | responsibly |
| supervision or the supervision of a local OSHA | | | | It is a requirement of the OSHA Act that |
| program. These regional offices provide assistance | | | | employers offer a safe work environment that is |
| and support to workers in all industries, regardless | | | | free of identifiable hazards and. Part of this is |
| of whether they are in the public or private | | | | providing the relevant health and safety training |
| sector. 23 states have their own state-run OSHA | | | | for employees, medical exams and keeping |
| programs, which have to be as efficient as the | | | | accurate and up-to-date records. |
| Federal OSHA and give the same or similar | | | | OSHA regulations are made up of several rules |
| support and services for workers. Every state | | | | for a safe environment in the workplace. Among |
| holds inspections of workplace premises and act in | | | | these, the key practices are:o Following of safety |
| response to employee grievances. Each states | | | | practiceso Using of required safety equipmento |
| also supplies extra services for health and safety, | | | | Monitoring of hazards by employerso Maintaining |
| including onsite visits and discussion for small | | | | records of workplace illnesses and/or injurieso |
| business owners. | | | | Limiting the exposure of employees to hazardous |
| Works have gained immeasurable rights, thanks | | | | materials |
| to OSHA regulations and the recognition and | | | | Employers who do not comply with OSHA |
| repair of workplace difficulties and dangers. When | | | | regulations can be issued with a citation and fined |
| an employer has been informed of a hazardous | | | | for negligence. This includes citations under the |
| environment in the workplace, the necessary | | | | General Duty Clause, which entails keeping the |
| steps to correct the problem are usually taken | | | | workplace free from serious recognizable hazards, |
| immediately. OSHA runs inspections to check | | | | and is used when there is no hazard-specific rule |
| workplace safety, but employees can contact | | | | under OSHA regulations. |
| OSHA with any concerns they may have - in | | | | OSHA has helped to create vastly safer |
| person, by phone, fax, postal service, email or | | | | workplace environments, and continues to do so, |
| directly on the OSHA website. | | | | but needs the help of the workforce in general to |
| Employers are not the only ones responsible for | | | | keep safe and healthy workplace environments |
| complying with OSHA regulations. Employees have | | | | for everyone. |