OSHA Regulations
- Employees in the workplace have several very important rights under OSHA. Some of these rights include being able to complain to OSHA regarding health and safety standards in their workplace (while remaining anonymous and confidential). All employees in the United States are covered except for individuals who are self-employed or work as public employees in local and state governments (bar United States Postal Service employees).
- Employers are required to provide employees working under them with a safe, hazard-free working location. They are supposed to make sure that employees are not working in environments that could lead to serious physical harm or even death. Some of their responsibilities include providing medical exams, reporting to OSHA within eight hours of on-the-job fatalities, not discriminating against employees who exercise their OSHA rights, prominently displaying their OSHA posters informing employees of their rights, and much more.
- Employees also have some responsibilities under OSHA regulations. These responsibilities include helping to prevent exposure to workplace safety and health hazards by complying firmly with all OSHA requirements and regulations regarding an individual's actions and conduct.
- Employers also have rights under OSHA regulations. Some of these rights include requesting inspection warrants, asking for identification from OSHA compliance officers, be notified about what the reason for the OSHA inspection is, requesting an informal conference post-inspection and much more.
- As an employee or employer, it's easy to learn all about OSHA's regulations and requirements. You can check out the Federal Register which has all of OSHA's current and up to date standards published. All of the OSHA amendments, corrections, deletions and insertions are also available as well.