What are my obligations as an employer under the OSH Act?
QUESTION: What are my obligations as an employer under the OSH Act?
ANSWER: The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, also known as the OSH Act, is a federal law enacted by Congress to govern occupational safety and health in the United States. The main goal of the OSH Act is to ensure employees are provided with a safe, healthy workplace environment. The OSH Act obligates employers to reduce occupational hazards and implement effective workplace health and safety programs that result in greater protection for employees.
The "General Duty" clause in the OSH Act specifies that employers have an obligation to identify worksite hazards and provide employees with a workplace environment that is free from "recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm". The OSH Act also requires employers to provide employees with any training and personal protective equipment (PPE) that may be necessary for their health and safety in the workplace. Employers also have additional obligations for proper recordkeeping and reporting, and must maintain accurate occupational injury and illness records.
Under the OSH Act, employees have a 'right to know' about any hazards that are in their workplace. If employees are concerned about health and safety conditions in their workplace, they may file a confidential complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA was created by the OSH Act to establish and enforce standards for safety and health in the workplace and enforces compliance through their inspection process.
"Right to Know" (RTK) labels, Arc Flash electrical labels, safety signs, chemical hazard labels, pipe marking labels, and many other types of safety labels and signs, are required for workplace safety and are part of an employer's obligation under the OSH Act. When you need help with your compliance labeling you need SafetyPro, from Industrial Safety Solutions! The SafetyPro safety label printer lets you create quality custom RTK, OSHA, ANSI, Arc Flash, and other safety labels where and when you need them. Customized safety labels help identify hazards specific to your facility and situation and communicate hazard information more effectively than generic catalog labels. Industrial Safety Solutions is your compliance labeling solution!
Tags: OSH Act, OSHA OSH act, OSHA compliance, OSHA requirements
