Introduction to OSHA Study Guide
History of OSHA .................... OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA's responsibility is worker
safety and health protection. The U.S. Congress created OSHA under the Occupational Safety
and Health Act of 1970 (the OSH Act). Congress passed the law and established OSHA "to
assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the nation safe and healthful working
conditions and to preserve our human resources.
OSHA began because, until 1970, there were no national laws for safety and health hazards.
Some events that led to the OSHA law include: .................... --The 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist
Company fire in New York City killed 146 of 500 employees in one of the worst work-related
disasters in our country's history. Factory workers, mainly young, female immigrants working
long hours for low wages, died because doors were locked and there were no fire escapes. This
tragedy outraged the public, who called for safety and health reform. Frances Perkins, who later
became the first Secretary of Labor, investigated the Triangle fire and tried to find ways to
prevent future occurrences.
--Production for World War I caused a crisis in workplace safety and health conditions. The
government created a Working Conditions Service to help states inspect plants and reduce
hazards.
--In the 1930's, as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal, additional laws increased the federal
government's role in job safety and health. But the federal role was mainly to provide service and
information to state governments. By the late1950's, the Federal-State partnership could no
longer deal with the growing workforce and increasing hazards. Additional federal laws were
enacted, but only covered certain industries.
--By the 1960's, 14,000 workers died every year and more than 2.2 million workers were not able
to work from injuries and illnesses.
Many thought that the only solution was a Federal law with the same rules and enforcement for
everyone. On December 29, 1970, President Nixon signed the OSH Act. This Act created
OSHA, the agency, which formally came into being on April 28, 1971. With the creation of
OSHA, for the first time, all employers in the United States had the legal responsibility to
provide a safe and healthful workplace for employees. And, there were now uniform regulations
that applied to all workplaces.
The OSH Act is also known as Public Law 91-596. It covers all private sector employers and
their workers in the 50 states and all territories and jurisdictions under federal authority.
Employers and workers in many fields, including but not limited to manufacturing, construction,
longshoring, agriculture, law, medicine, charity and disaster relief are covered by OSHA.
Religious groups are covered if they employ workers for secular purposes, such as maintenance
or gardening.
,Which groups do not come under OSHA's coverage? .................... --The self-employed;
--Immediate members of farming families not employing outside workers;
--Mine workers, certain truckers and transportation workers, and atomic energy workers who are
covered by other federal agencies;
--Public employees in state and local governments, although some states have their own plans
that cover these workers.
OSHA's mission: .................... The mission of OSHA is to save lives, prevent injuries and
protect the health of America's workers.
How OSHA achieves its mission: .................... Federal and state governments work together
with more than 100 million working men and women and eight million employers. Some of the
things OSHA does to carry out its mission are:
--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, and
--providing training programs to increase knowledge about occupational safety and health.
OSHA also assists the States in their efforts to assure safe and healthful working conditions,
through OSHA approved job safety and health programs operated by individual states. State
plans are OSHA-approved job safety and health programs operated by individual states instead
of federal OSHA. States with approved plans cover most private sector employees as well as
state and local government workers in the state. State plan programs respond to accidents and
employee complaints and conduct unannounced inspections, just like federal OSHA. And, some
states have OSHA-approved plans that cover only state and local government workers.
Importance of OSHA Training: .................... Even though OSHA has had an impact on worker
safety and health, significant hazards and unsafe conditions still exist in U.S. workplaces.
Each year:
--On average, 15 workers die every day from job injuries
--Over 5,600 Americans die from workplace injuries annually
--Over 4 million non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported; and
The estimated cost of occupational injuries and illnesses are from $145 billion to $290 billion a
year for direct and indirect costs
OSHA is a small agency, with approximately 1000 federal inspectors and 1400 state inspectors
to cover about eight million workplaces. As you can see from these numbers, OSHA cannot be
everywhere. That is why it is important for you to know your rights and for employers to be
aware of their responsibilities under OSHA. This training will help you know whether your
employer is complying with OSHA standards, what rights you have related to job safety and
health, and where you can go if you need help.
, When you know your rights, and when employers act responsibly to prevent hazards, the result
will be fewer worker deaths, injuries and illnesses. Training and education are key in making this
happen.
What rights do you have under OSHA? .................... --Right to a safe and healthful workplace
--Right to know about hazardous chemicals
--Right to information about injuries and illnesses in your workplace
--Right to complain or request hazard correction from employer
--Right to training
--Right to hazard exposure and medical records
--Right to file a complaint with OSHA
--Right to participate in an OSHA inspection
--Right to be free from retaliation for exercising safety and health rights
--Worker responsibilities
Right to a safe & healthful workplace .................... Most importantly, the creation of OSHA
provided workers the right to a safe and healthful workplace. Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act
states: "Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of
employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to his employees." A safe and healthful workplace means that hazards
are removed and workers are trained. If a hazard cannot be removed completely, protection (for
example, respirators or earplugs) must be provided.
Right to know about hazardous chemicals .................... Another important right is the Right to
Know about hazardous substances in your workplace. Employers must have a written, complete
hazard communication program that includes information on:
--Container labeling,
--Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs), and
--Worker training. The training must include the physical and health hazards of the chemicals
and how workers can protect themselves; including specific procedures the employer has
implemented to protect workers, such as work practices, emergency procedures, and personal
protective equipment.
The program must also include a list of the hazardous chemicals in each work area and the
means the employer uses to inform workers of the hazards of non-routine tasks. In addition, the
program must explain how the employer will inform other employers of hazards to which their
workers may be exposed (for example, contract workers).
Right to information about injuries and illnesses in your workplace .................... OSHA's
Recordkeeping rule requires most employers with more than 10 workers to keep a log of injuries
and illnesses. The log, which is also called the OSHA 300, must contain all work-related injuries
and illnesses resulting in lost workdays, restricted work or transfer to another job, as well as any
incident requiring more than first aid treatment.
History of OSHA .................... OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA's responsibility is worker
safety and health protection. The U.S. Congress created OSHA under the Occupational Safety
and Health Act of 1970 (the OSH Act). Congress passed the law and established OSHA "to
assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the nation safe and healthful working
conditions and to preserve our human resources.
OSHA began because, until 1970, there were no national laws for safety and health hazards.
Some events that led to the OSHA law include: .................... --The 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist
Company fire in New York City killed 146 of 500 employees in one of the worst work-related
disasters in our country's history. Factory workers, mainly young, female immigrants working
long hours for low wages, died because doors were locked and there were no fire escapes. This
tragedy outraged the public, who called for safety and health reform. Frances Perkins, who later
became the first Secretary of Labor, investigated the Triangle fire and tried to find ways to
prevent future occurrences.
--Production for World War I caused a crisis in workplace safety and health conditions. The
government created a Working Conditions Service to help states inspect plants and reduce
hazards.
--In the 1930's, as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal, additional laws increased the federal
government's role in job safety and health. But the federal role was mainly to provide service and
information to state governments. By the late1950's, the Federal-State partnership could no
longer deal with the growing workforce and increasing hazards. Additional federal laws were
enacted, but only covered certain industries.
--By the 1960's, 14,000 workers died every year and more than 2.2 million workers were not able
to work from injuries and illnesses.
Many thought that the only solution was a Federal law with the same rules and enforcement for
everyone. On December 29, 1970, President Nixon signed the OSH Act. This Act created
OSHA, the agency, which formally came into being on April 28, 1971. With the creation of
OSHA, for the first time, all employers in the United States had the legal responsibility to
provide a safe and healthful workplace for employees. And, there were now uniform regulations
that applied to all workplaces.
The OSH Act is also known as Public Law 91-596. It covers all private sector employers and
their workers in the 50 states and all territories and jurisdictions under federal authority.
Employers and workers in many fields, including but not limited to manufacturing, construction,
longshoring, agriculture, law, medicine, charity and disaster relief are covered by OSHA.
Religious groups are covered if they employ workers for secular purposes, such as maintenance
or gardening.
,Which groups do not come under OSHA's coverage? .................... --The self-employed;
--Immediate members of farming families not employing outside workers;
--Mine workers, certain truckers and transportation workers, and atomic energy workers who are
covered by other federal agencies;
--Public employees in state and local governments, although some states have their own plans
that cover these workers.
OSHA's mission: .................... The mission of OSHA is to save lives, prevent injuries and
protect the health of America's workers.
How OSHA achieves its mission: .................... Federal and state governments work together
with more than 100 million working men and women and eight million employers. Some of the
things OSHA does to carry out its mission are:
--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, and
--providing training programs to increase knowledge about occupational safety and health.
OSHA also assists the States in their efforts to assure safe and healthful working conditions,
through OSHA approved job safety and health programs operated by individual states. State
plans are OSHA-approved job safety and health programs operated by individual states instead
of federal OSHA. States with approved plans cover most private sector employees as well as
state and local government workers in the state. State plan programs respond to accidents and
employee complaints and conduct unannounced inspections, just like federal OSHA. And, some
states have OSHA-approved plans that cover only state and local government workers.
Importance of OSHA Training: .................... Even though OSHA has had an impact on worker
safety and health, significant hazards and unsafe conditions still exist in U.S. workplaces.
Each year:
--On average, 15 workers die every day from job injuries
--Over 5,600 Americans die from workplace injuries annually
--Over 4 million non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported; and
The estimated cost of occupational injuries and illnesses are from $145 billion to $290 billion a
year for direct and indirect costs
OSHA is a small agency, with approximately 1000 federal inspectors and 1400 state inspectors
to cover about eight million workplaces. As you can see from these numbers, OSHA cannot be
everywhere. That is why it is important for you to know your rights and for employers to be
aware of their responsibilities under OSHA. This training will help you know whether your
employer is complying with OSHA standards, what rights you have related to job safety and
health, and where you can go if you need help.
, When you know your rights, and when employers act responsibly to prevent hazards, the result
will be fewer worker deaths, injuries and illnesses. Training and education are key in making this
happen.
What rights do you have under OSHA? .................... --Right to a safe and healthful workplace
--Right to know about hazardous chemicals
--Right to information about injuries and illnesses in your workplace
--Right to complain or request hazard correction from employer
--Right to training
--Right to hazard exposure and medical records
--Right to file a complaint with OSHA
--Right to participate in an OSHA inspection
--Right to be free from retaliation for exercising safety and health rights
--Worker responsibilities
Right to a safe & healthful workplace .................... Most importantly, the creation of OSHA
provided workers the right to a safe and healthful workplace. Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act
states: "Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of
employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death
or serious physical harm to his employees." A safe and healthful workplace means that hazards
are removed and workers are trained. If a hazard cannot be removed completely, protection (for
example, respirators or earplugs) must be provided.
Right to know about hazardous chemicals .................... Another important right is the Right to
Know about hazardous substances in your workplace. Employers must have a written, complete
hazard communication program that includes information on:
--Container labeling,
--Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs), and
--Worker training. The training must include the physical and health hazards of the chemicals
and how workers can protect themselves; including specific procedures the employer has
implemented to protect workers, such as work practices, emergency procedures, and personal
protective equipment.
The program must also include a list of the hazardous chemicals in each work area and the
means the employer uses to inform workers of the hazards of non-routine tasks. In addition, the
program must explain how the employer will inform other employers of hazards to which their
workers may be exposed (for example, contract workers).
Right to information about injuries and illnesses in your workplace .................... OSHA's
Recordkeeping rule requires most employers with more than 10 workers to keep a log of injuries
and illnesses. The log, which is also called the OSHA 300, must contain all work-related injuries
and illnesses resulting in lost workdays, restricted work or transfer to another job, as well as any
incident requiring more than first aid treatment.
