OSHA and Workplace Safety
Employees have the right to a workplace that is reasonably free of safety and health hazards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal agency that seeks to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing workplace safety standards.
Employee Rights Under OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970 created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) within the Department of Labor, in order to reduce workplace hazards and implement safety and health programs. OSHA gives employees many rights and responsibilities, including the right to:
- Review copies of appropriate standards, rules, regulations, and requirements that the employer should have available at the workplace.
- Have access to relevant employee exposure and medical records.
- Request the OSHA area director to conduct an inspection if they believe hazardous conditions or violations of standards exist in the workplace, and have an authorized employee representative accompany the OSHA compliance officer during the inspection tour.
- Have their names withheld from their employer, upon request to OSHA, if they sign and file a written complaint.
- Be free of any discriminatory or retaliatory action taken by their employer as a result of any OSHA complaint.
Employer Obligations Under OSHA Among the obligations imposed under OSHA, employers have a duty to:
- Provide work and a workplace free from recognized hazards.
- Inform employees of OSHA safety and health standards that apply to their workplace.
- Display in a prominent place the official OSHA poster that describes rights and responsibilities under the OSH Act.
- Establish a written, comprehensive hazard communication program that includes provisions for such things as container labeling, material safety data sheets, and an employee training program.
- Inform employees of the existence, location, and availability of their medical and exposure records when employees first begin employment and at least annually thereafter, and to provide these records upon request.
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From OSHA: Employee Workplace Rights, U.S. Dep't Of Labor (1997)
