Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
22
Preventionand
OSHARegulations
IntroductIon
A.worker.should.be.able.to.go.to.work.each.day.and.expect.to.return.home.uninjured.
and.in.good.health..There.is.no.logical.reason.why.a.worker.should.be.part.of.work-
place.carnage..Workers.do.not.have.to.become.one.of.the.yearly.workplace.statistics.
Workers.who.know.the.occupational.safety.and.health.rules.and.safe.work.pro-
cedures,.and.follow.them,.are.less.likely.to.become.one.of.the.4,340.(2009).occupa-
tional.trauma.deaths,.one.of.90,000.estimated.occupational.illness.deaths,.or.even.
one.of.the.3.7.million.(2008).nonfatal.occupational.injuries.and.illnesses.
The. essence. of. workplace. safety. and. health. should. not. rest. upon. Occupational.
Safety. and. Health. Administration. (OSHA). regulations,. as. they. should. not. be. the.
driving. forces. behind. workplace. safety. and. health.. OSHA. has. limited. resources.
for.inspection.and.a.limited.number.of.inspectors..Enforcement.is.usually.based.on.
serious. complaints,. catastrophic. events,. and. workplace. deaths.. Employers. with. a.
good.safety.and.health.program.and.a.good.safety.record.have.a.better.opportunity.of.
procuring.contracts.and.orders.because.of.their.workplace.safety.and.health.record,.
and. reap. the. beneits. of. low. insurance. premiums. for. workers'. compensation. and.
liability..Usually,.safety.and.health.are.linked.to.the.bottom.line,.which.is.seldom.
perceived.as.humanitarian.
This.chapter.provides.answers.to.many.of.the.questions.that.are.frequently.asked.
regarding. OSHA. compliance,. workplace. safety. and. health,. and. how. workers. and.
employers.are.to.mesh.with.the.intent.of.a.having.a.safe.and.healthy.workplace.
FederAl lAWs
Congress.establishes.federal.laws.(legislation.or.acts).and.the.President.of.the.United.
States.signs.them.into.law..These.laws.often.require.that.regulations.(standards).be.
developed.by.federal.agencies.that.are.responsible.for.the.intent.of.the.law.
osHA
Ct
The.Occupational.Safety.and.Health.Act.(OSHAct).of.1970.is.just.such.a.law.estab-
lishing.a.federal.agency;.it.is.also.called.the.Williams-Steiger.Act..It.was.signed.by.
President.Richard.Nixon.on.December.29,.1970,.and.became.effective.on.April 29,.
1971.. (The. OSHAct. was. not. amended. until. November. 5,. 1990,. by. Public. Law.
101-552.).The.OSHAct.assigned.the.responsibility.of.implementing.and.enforcing.the.
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