Occupational safety laws aim to prevent worker injuries and fatalities through training, security measures, and inspections. In the US, OSHA oversees workplace safety, while JISHA regulates programs in Japan. Self-employed workers are generally responsible for their own safety. Hazard identification, safety training, and inspections are key components of safety programs, which can be enforced through official government inspections. While some argue that safety programs are a burden on businesses, research shows that they reduce workplace deaths and injuries.
Occupational safety generally refers to the process of protecting the health and well-being of employees while they are on the job. Many countries have passed laws requiring companies to meet certain basic workplace safety standards. While the exact requirements vary by country and by occupation, the primary goal of most of these is to prevent worker injuries and fatalities. This is usually accomplished by a multi-pronged approach of training, implementation of security measures and regular inspections.
In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, passed in 1970, is one of the key federal occupational safety laws. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, known simply as OSHA, oversees the law today, providing guidance to employers and employees. In Japan, a similar group known as the Industrial Safety and Health Association, or JISHA, helps regulate programs designed to reduce workplace accidents.
Employees covered by occupational safety programs often vary depending on the exact occupation. For example, in the United States, OSHA requirements generally cover people who work at most private companies, as well as some government employees, such as postal workers. Other types of workers, such as military members, government employees, and miners, are usually covered by other federal or state workplace safety laws. People who work for themselves are often not covered by any official occupational safety laws and are generally solely responsible for health and safety.
Many programs designed to ensure workplace safety involve many components. In many cases, one of the first keys to such a program is determining what hazards exist on a particular job site or when doing a particular job. Once these hazards have been identified, steps can often be taken to avoid potential accidents. For example, if a job requires you to work with hazardous chemicals, steps can be taken such as having employees wear protective clothing and goggles, installing an emergency wash station, and keeping other first aid supplies nearby.
Once hazards have been identified and solutions to mitigate them determined, employees often receive some type of occupational safety training. This may include instructions on how to use safety equipment and how to report any accidents that occur. It may also include instructions on how to perform safety inspections, which are another element of most safety programs. Regular inspections of the workplace, by individual employees or a more formal inspection team, can often help demonstrate whether or not safety measures are working and identify any additional changes that may be needed.
In addition to self-inspections, many workplace safety laws allow or even require official inspections by government agencies. For example, federal safety commissions are often authorized to evaluate workplaces to ensure that adequate safety equipment and procedures are in place and are being used correctly. If violations are found, a company could be fined and certain actions may need to be taken to comply with the law. Such inspections may be performed as part of routine assessments or may be requested by employees concerned with safety standards in their workplace.
Some argue that the costs of occupational safety programs are a burden on businesses. The overall benefit from reducing lost wages and disability claims, however, has often been shown to outweigh the initial investment. Additionally, over the years, research has generally shown that effective safety programs significantly reduce the number of workplace deaths and injuries each year.
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