Safety and Health at Work

Key Takeaways

• Every year, 4,340 fatalities and 3.3 million injuries occur in the workplace in the United States.
• The Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed in 1970, with the goal of providing a safe and healthy work environment for all US workers.
• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is part of the US Department of Labor and was created as a result of the act in 1970.
• OSHA applies to some specific industries, such as construction, shipyards, and marine terminals. However, some of the OSHA regulations apply to all industries.
• Some states may also have safety requirements that may be more stringent than federal laws.
• Right-to-know laws refer to a material data safety sheet, which discusses the types of chemicals, proper handling and storage, and first aid in case of an accident. These data sheets should be made available to the general public and employees.
• Right-to-know laws also require specific reporting to local and state agencies on chemicals used in certain quantities for some industries.
• OSHA requires recording keeping for all workplace accidents or illness. Record keeping is usually the responsibility of HR, and reports are made via OSHA Form 300.
• OSHA can inspect any site without prior notification. Usually, OSHA will gather information, visit the site, and ask for a representative. The representative is normally the HR person. The site visit will be performed, followed by discussion with the company representative. Within six months of the visit, a report and any penalties will be communicated.