Following the above statement, OSHA goes on to outline some specific rights that employees have when it comes to job safety. In this post, we’ll go through several of them and the related employer responsibilities.
The OSH Act states that workers have the right to “receive information and training about hazards, methods to prevent harm, and the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace.” Additionally, it provides that “the training must be done in a language and vocabulary workers can understand.”
A safe workplace starts with a trained workforce. And a safety program is only as effective as the training and communication. As a part of creating a comprehensive safety program, employers should first identify potential threats to job safety across roles and tasks. Then companies should develop training programs and schedules to ensure workers are aware of potential risks and how to avoid them.
Employees have a right to work on machines that are safe. Unfortunately, 18,000 workers are injured, and 800 die each year due to machine safety failures. Machine guarding is critical to keeping employees safe and preventing lacerations, abrasions, crushing injuries, and lacerations. This post explains hazardous motion and actions and how to safeguard against them to ensure job safety.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) that fits well and is appropriate to the task can be the difference between life and death. OSHA states that employees have a right to “receive required safety equipment, such as gloves or a harness and lifeline for falls.”
The first step to mitigating workplace hazards is to identify them. That means breaking down tasks to create safety standards and assign necessary PPE.
Job safety starts with awareness. OSHA states that employees have a right to “be protected from toxic chemicals.” Meeting the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard is critical to preventing exposure. This includes providing safety data sheets (SDS) and employee training.
From construction sites to manufacturing plants to offices, we can help you improve job safety at your facilities. We offer downloadable resources to get you started. And we're are on-hand to answer your questions and offer expert advice. Contact us today!
