Occupational Safety and Health Act

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 provides workers with the right to a safe workplace. Under this law, employers are required to provide a workplace that is free of serious recognized hazards and is in compliance with OSHA standards. The law also created the Occupational Health and Safety Administration. The mission of this organization is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. By setting and enforcing health and safety standards, providing training, outreach, and education, and encouraging advances and improvement in workplace safety and health matters, OSHA works to reduce or eliminate hazards in the workplace and assure the safety and health of all working Americans.

Employee Rights

OSHA provides employees with certain rights in regards to workplace safety. As an employee, you have the right to:

• Notify your employer or OSHA about workplace hazards. You can ask OSHA to keep your name confidential.
• Request an OSHA inspection if you believe dangerous or unhealthy conditions exist in your workplace.
• File a complaint within OSHA within 30 days of retaliation or discrimination by your employer for making health and safety complaints or exercising your OSHA rights.
• View OSHA complaints issued to your employer. Your employer must also post these citations at or near the site of the alleged violations.

If violations are found, your employer must correct workplace hazards by the date on the citation and certify that the hazards have been reduced or eliminated. Finally, you have the right to copies of your medical records and records of your exposure to toxic and harmful substances or conditions at work.

OSHA Coverage

OSHA covers private sector employers and their employees in the 50 states and certain territories and jurisdictions under federal authority. It does not cover:

• Self-employed workers
• Members of immediate family of farm employers that do not employ outside workers
• Employees of state and local governments

Although state and local government workers are not covered, some states have their own OSHA-approved occupational safety and health plans that cover these workers.

Penalties for OSHA Violations

OSHA penalties range from $0 to $70,000, depending upon how likely the violation is to result in serious harm to employees. Penalties may be discounted if an employer has a small number of employees, has demonstrated good faith, or has few or no previous violations.

To report hazards in your workplace, visit http://www.osha.gov/ or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).