OshAct Flashcards
Week 3
When did Osha begin?
1970’s- 1978 was when the Osh Act was signed into place
Who signed the Osh Act into place?
Richard Nixon
What is Osha’s responsibility?
To protect worker’s safety and health
What are Osha’s purposes? (4)
EEEM
· Encourage employers and employees to reduce workplace hazards
· Encourage research that helps deal with workplace safety and health problems
· Establish the rights of employees and employers regarding the improvement of workplace safety and health
· Monitor job-related illnesses and injuries through a system of reporting and record-keeping
What is Osha’s mission?
To save lives, prevent injuries, protect the health of America’s workers
How does Osha carry out its mission?
3 ways
- Developing job safety and health standards and enforcing them through worksite inspections
- Maintaining a reporting and recordkeeping system to keep track of job-related injuries and illnesses
- Providing training programs to increase knowledge about occupational safety & health
Who is covered by Osh Act?
· Most employers (even if 1 employee)
· No exemptions for small businesses (If 10 or fewer employees- are exempt from
inspection and not required to maintain injury/illness record)
· Covers employees in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all other U. S. Territories
· Evaluates federal agencies but no fines
· Coverage is provided directly by federal OSHA or through an OSHA- approved state program
What are exemptions from the Osh Act?
· self-employed
· Family farms that employ immediate members of family and do not employ outside workers
· federal agencies covered by other federal statutes
· State and local governments
· coal mines (MSHA)
How do states abide by Osha?
· States can choose to have their own state OSHA plan that meets or exceeds the OSHA standards
- states may have specific hazards to focus on
· states have more control
What rights do you have under Osha?
· A safe and healthy workplace
· know about hazardous chemicals
· Info about injuries and illnesses in your workplace
· Complain or request hazard correction from employer
· training
· Examine hazard exposure and medical records
· file a complaint with OSHA
· Participate in an OSHA inspection
· Be free from retaliation for exercising these rights
What do the OSHA standards say?
Title 24- 4 catagories
Title 24 contains all standards assigned to OSHA and fall into four catagories:
· 29 Part 1910-General Industry standards (mainly used)
· 29 Part 1926 -Construction Industry
· 29 part 1915-Maritime
· 29 part 1928 -Agriculture
What are the origins of OSHA standards?
2 organizations
· Osha standards from 2 primary groups
- American national standard institute (ANSI)
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
What are the two types of Osha standards?
· Horizontal Standards: Any employer in any industry
· Vertical Standards: only apply to a specific industry
How are Osha inspections conducted?
no steps yet
· The OSH Act authorizes OSHA compliance safety and health officers (CSHOs) to conduct workplace inspections at reasonable times.
· OSHA conducts inspections without advance notice, except in rare circumstances (imminent danger)
-anyone who tells an employer about an OSHA inspection in advance can receive fines and a jail term
Osha Inspection Priority
1st: Imminent Danger
2nd: fatality/catastrophe
3rd: complains/referrals
4th: programmed inspections
5th: follow up inspections
What are the 3 steps of the Osha inspection process?
cwc
- Opening conference
- Will show OSHA certification
- Discuss what inspection is about
- Will check organization’s safety & health program (make sure documents are organized)
- Will check organization records (OSHA 300 log) - Walk around inspection
- can be a specific inspection or a full inspection
- If specific, take them to the specific area (don’t try to brown nose)
- They might state certain hazards you have during, address those immediately during inspection may reduce penalty - Closing Conference
- Will go over employee rights, discussion over hazards, & process upon their leaving
What are the types of violations and their penalties?
3
Serious, other than serious, posting requirements ($13,494 per violation),
failure to abate ($13,494 per day beyond abatement day)
willfully or repeated ($134,937/violation)
What can you do in the event of a citation?
· Pay the fine
· Request an informative conference
- Discuss and Review
· The nature of the citation and severity
· The amount of the citation
· The abatement action and/or abatement period
· Formal Appeal
· File Notice of Contest
Where can you go for help with Osha issues?
-Sources within the workplace/site
· Employer, supervisor, co-workers, union representatives
· Safety data sheet (SDS )for info on chemicals
· Labels and warning signs
· Employee orientation manuals or other training manuals
· Work tasks and procedures instruction
-Sources outside of the workplaces/site
· OSHA website
· Compliance assistance specialists in the area offices
· National Institute for Occupational Safety & health (OSHA’s sister agency)
· OSHA training institute education centers
· Doctors, nurses, other health care providers
· Public Libraries
· other local, community-based resources
· file an OSHA complaint
How to file an Osha complaint?
· Download the OSHA-7 form from OSHA’s website
·File the complaint online
- workers can file a complaint
- a worker representative can file a complaint
· Telephone or visit local regional or area offices to discuss your concerns
· complete the form - be specific and include appropriate details
· OSHA determines if an inspection is necessary
· Workers do not have to reveal their name
