The Occupational Health and Safety Act is a US federal law that aims to regulate occupational safety. It requires employers to provide a safe environment for their employees and establishes safety standards overseen by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The Act applies to all 50 states and certain industries have specific safety regulations. Workers have the right to report unsafe conditions and employers cannot discriminate against them for doing so. Farms run by family members and self-employed workers are not regulated.
The Occupational Health and Safety Act is a United States federal law aimed at regulating occupational safety. The law was passed in 1970 to ensure that employers provide a safe, non-toxic environment for their employees to prevent work-related illness, injury and death. The United States Department of Labor established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in 1971 to establish safety standards and oversee a state’s compliance with the law. Each state has the right to create its own occupational health and safety standards, provided they are approved by OSHA.
The standards set by the Occupational Health and Safety Act may depend on the type of industry. There are four major industry categories under the Act: construction, shipping, agriculture, and general industry. Since each of these industries has different work requirements and procedures, there may be standards that only apply to certain industries. For example, industries considered by OSHA to be low-risk environments, such as real estate, services, finance, or retail, have more lax safety regulations.
All industry employers must inform employees of any hazardous materials they may come into contact with as part of their job duties. They must also provide safety training on how to use any equipment properly, as well as provide employees with protective gear. If an employee is hospitalized or killed by a work-related incident, the employer is required by law to notify OSHA within eight hours.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, workers have the right to report any unsafe or unhealthy conditions in their workplace to OSHA. When an employee files an official complaint with OSHA, an inspector will conduct an investigation. If an employer is found to be failing to comply with the provisions of the law, he may be subject to financial penalties. The law prohibits employers from discriminating against workers who report conditions to OSHA. The agency will assist an employee with legal action if an employer discriminates against an employee for contacting OSHA.
The Occupational Safety and Health Act applies to all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and all US territories. Some industries, such as nuclear power plants, transportation, and mining, have specific safety regulations established by other federal laws rather than the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Farms run by family members only are not regulated by law, nor are self-employed workers.
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