The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), is a governmental agency that establishes guidelines and standards related to the health and safety of employees in the workplace. OSHA standards are mandatory rules that must be followed and are strictly enforced by the agency. OSHA guidelines are voluntary recommendations for general workplace safety and training where standards are not defined. These guidelines appear in “OSHA’s Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines” document and are intended to assist businesses in developing programs and best practices to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. This document provides general guidelines for all businesses and contains information compiled from consultants and health professionals with experience in implementing successful health and safety programs.
OSHA’s guideline program requires both managerial commitment and employee engagement to be successful. This includes the following:
- Worksite analysis – The worksite guidelines include identifying existing and potential job hazards. There should be initial and periodic inspections of the worksite, listing possible or known hazards, and developing procedures and policies for employees to report any hazards. This allows trends to be spotted, patterns to be addressed, and the program to improve continually.
- Hazard prevention and control – OSHA covers in detail particular hazards for each industry however they are based on general guidelines. Depending on the hazard, controls or techniques must be used to provide safe work practices including providing personal protective equipment (PPE), knowledge of hazards, and policies and procedures that are known to all employees.
- Safety and health training – Employees should be trained and educated to understand health and hazard issues and compliance with policies and procedures. This includes supervisors and managers who oversee and enforce health and safety directives, so they understand their responsibilities in emergency situations.
It is recommended that health and safety programs are reviewed on an annual basis to assess the value of the program and identify any areas where improvements could be made.
If you or a loved one has suffered injuries due to negligence on the job site or a defective product, the lawyers at America’s Consumer Lawyer can review your claim and determine if there were unsafe working conditions, potential OSHA violations, and other hazards that may have existed at the time of your accident. They will also determine who may be liable for your injuries and damages and what compensation you may be entitled to.
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