Legal, Safety, and Regulatory Requirements
Gary Allford
HCS/341
8 August 2011
Lee Hoffman
Legal, Safety, and Regulatory Requirements
According to the Bureau of Labor, statistics indicate that more than 4.1 million people were hurt or injured on-the-job in 2006 and 5,488 were killed in 2007 (Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, & Cardy, 2010, p. 511). Laws and regulatory requirements are currently in place to standardize and promote workplace safety. Organizations with extensive safety programs have reduced number of accidents, decreased workers’ compensation claims and lawsuits and lesser accident-related expenditures (Gomez-Mejia, et al, 2010, p. 511). This paper discusses the effects of legal, safety and regulatory requirements in
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This responsibility motivates the HR department and managers to implement stringent policies to prevent work-related injuries to avoid paying for higher workers’ compensation insurance. Moreover, it inspires the company to promote safety by organizing a safety committee to address hazards in the workplace to prevent injuries or deaths. The committee solicits employee suggestions and participation to increase compliance to company policies. It also develops various safety programs to promote employee wellness to improve their quality of life (Gomez-Mejia, et al, 2010).
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) was developed and approved because of the escalating costs of accidents and illnesses in the workplace. According to Gomez-Mejia, Balkin, and Cardy (2010), OSHA is a national law that requires organizations to offer a safe and healthy workplace, to conform with particular occupational and health standards, and to document job-related injuries and diseases.
In contrast to workers’ compensation, OSHA does not provide payment to injured workers. However, OSHA implements safety policies and standards by company inspections, citations, and fines. In addition, OSHA mandates employers to educate and train employees regarding the specific dangerous substance regulation called the Hazard Communication Standard
Osha is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration an agency of the United States Department of Labor. Osha requires employers to provide their employees with safety from all known dangers. Osha was created December 29, 1970, and it was signed by president Richard M. Nixon.
The human resources process has to accompany both the employee and employer in regard to safety issues. An employee wants the assurance of safe and healthy working conditions; anything less exposes danger to their own wellbeing. In addition employees must take heed to precautions design by the organization. However an employer wants to avoid expenditures in overhead by cutting cost or corners often putting their employees at harmful risk. In addition, organizations also have a lawful obligation in which they have to provide a safe workplace by preventing accidents, hazards, serious injuries or accident-related deaths. Negligence on either behalf can result in determination, fines, citations, work-related
In 1970 OSHA was designed to set in place guidelines to organize and regulate practices to reduce the injuries and accidents in the work place. These guidelines are there to both protect the worker and the employer. If the health care worker follows these important guidelines and is injured, the employer is responsible. However, if the injury or accident is a result to the worker’s negligence or disrespect to the procedure and guidelines, then the worker is at fault.
OSHA regulates the “general industry”, therefore the industry has to comply with OSHA standards. However, OSHA does exclude agriculture, construction, and maritime businesses. OSHA also does not cover self-employed businesses, or businesses with less than 10 employees (family members don’t count).The purpose of OSHA is to: “Assure the safety and health of workers at the workplace, wherever that may be.” They enforce standards by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. OSHA also provides employees with training as well as gives them the right to requesting a inspection of their workplace environmentPresident Nixon and Congress helped create the OSHA Act of 1970 and it was later established in 1971. One who brought OSHA into
When employers hear the word OSHA they fear the worst. However, the purpose of OSHA is to provide a safe working environment for all personnel (Bernardin & Russell, 2013). The majority of the time companies that panic over OSHA is organizations that are lacking knowledge regarding rules and policies. The OSHA website has an abundant amount of resources available for both employees and employers to conduct research as well as training. After visiting the www.OSHA.gov website, the additional recommendations are given to the Dynamic Duo Inc. owners to ensure the company is establishing a safety culture among their employees.
Inspections can also be triggered by a workplace fatality, multiple hospitalizations, worker complaints, or referrals. Enforcement plays an important part in OSHA’s efforts to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Employers are not given warning before an inspection. When an inspector finds violations OSHA may issue fines or citations. Employers may appeal the fines or citations within 15 days. Tracking and investigating workplace injuries and illnesses play an important role in preventing future injuries and illnesses. Under OSHA’s Recordkeeping regulation, certain covered employers in high hazard industries are required to prepare and maintain records of serious occupational injuries and illnesses. This information is important for employers, workers and OSHA in evaluating the safety of a workplace, understanding industry hazards, and implementing worker protections to reduce and eliminate hazards. OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This means anyone who feels the need to inform OSHA of any violations is free from retaliation. .On-site consultation services are available to employers. Consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing safety and health management programs. OSHA also provides compliance assistance
Today there are multiple motives for employing a place of work hazard free mindset work culture. Ultimately the objective for a successful, productive and safe place of work should be liberated from exposure to hazards that place customers and employees at risk. There are many convincing motivations for establishing an in-work place safety plan, however the biggest motivator to companies are for reasons of conformity to directives from federal, state, and local governing agencies. Undesirable press, and penalties that inevitably happen without a safety plan, will cost business, create loss of human capital and force workers compensation insurance premiums to rise.
Under the Presidency of Richard Nixon, the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) was approved to avoid employees from being seriously injured or killed while at work. With the new law passed, The United States Department of Labor created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which on a Federal level establishes, implements, and enforces safety and health standards in the workplace. OSHA is also responsible for providing education, training, and support to employers and workers.
Under the Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created to encourage employers and employees to reduce workplace hazards and to implement new or improve existing safety and health programs, provide for research in occupational safety and health to develop innovative ways
It is vital to have a safety program in the workplace and a prevention in the work-related accidents and the concerns of for social consequences, which has led the federal government to set forth legislation to regulate to prevent the work-related issues. Several like “Occupational Safety and Health Act,” the “Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act, are another two that play a major ingredient in the occupational fields. These rules have identified human resource and supervisors to be up to par with specific topics that pose federal and state regulations for organizations.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, a federal agency that oversees safety in the workplace and regulates industrial policies regarding accidents. OSHA was founded on April 28, 1971 by the Department of Labor. It was made by Congress under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and was signed by President Richard M. Nixon in 1970. The OSH Act of 1970 was passed to promote safety and health in the workplace. OSHA effects business activities in the United States. OSHA rules and regulations affect businesses by applying large fines for noncompliance, not knowing the rights of OSHA, the employee, and employer, also with such precise inspections and requiring injury and illness prevention programs
part of the US Department of Labor, and was started in 1970 as part of the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. OSHA's mission is to "assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing
Workplace safety is a commonly used phrase that many do not consider until an accident occurs within the workplace. Throughout the U.S., workplace injuries occur on a daily basis. This has been an issue in the workforce for many years and is still an ongoing issue. Are there laws that protect employees from an unsafe work environment; what is the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA); and how did the labor unions affect the law? In this paper these following questions will be addressed, as well as the background and driving force of OSHA.
There exists a popular saying “if you think safety is expensive try an accident”. This saying goes to explain the damages that a company suffers ranging from the loss lives of its personnel and properties and the need for its workers to adopt and adhere to safe work practices should