Introduction to OSHA

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Introduction to OSHA
YouthBuild Kick-off Conference January 30, 2008
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The Important Stuff

• Schedule
• Restrooms
• Emergency exits and mustering point
• Cell phones

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What is OSHA?

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Responsible for worker safety and health
  protection

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Is there a need for OSHA?
Each year...

• Nearly 6,000 workplace fatalities
• 50,000 deaths from workplace-related illnesses
• 5.7 million non-fatal workplace injuries
• Injuries alone cost U.S. businesses over 125
  billion

Source - OSHA Publication 2056
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Has OSHA Made a Difference?
YES!
Since 1970 OSHA has

• Helped cut the work-related fatality rate in half
• Worked with employers and employees to reduce
  workplace injuries and illnesses by 40
• Virtually eliminated brown lung disease in the
  textile industry, and
• Reduced trenching and excavation fatalities by 35

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What does OSHA do?

• Encourages employers and employees to reduce
  workplace hazards and implement new or improve
  existing safety and health programs
• Develops and enforces mandatory job safety and
  health standards
• Maintains a reporting and recordkeeping system to
  monitor job-related injuries and illnesses
• Provides assistance, training and other support
  programs to help employers and workers

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Who is covered by the OSH Act?

• Most private sector employees
• Coverage is provided directly by federal OSHA or
  through an OSHA-approved state program
• Does not cover the self-employed or immediate
  members of farm families that do not employ
  outside workers

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OSHA Standards

• OSHA develops and enforces standards that
  employers must follow.
• Where OSHA does not have standards, employers
  are responsible for following the OSH Act's
  General Duty Clause.
• States with OSHA-approved programs must set
  standards at least as effective as federal
  standards.

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What does OSHA Require?

• Determine which standards apply to your workplace
• Follow the OSHA standards and requirements

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What are workers responsibilities?

• Read the OSHA poster
• Follow the employers safety and health rules and
  wear or use all required gear and equipment
• Follow safe work practices for your job, as
  directed by your employer
• Report hazardous conditions to a supervisor or
  safety committee
• Report hazardous conditions to OSHA, if employers
  do not fix them
• Cooperate with OSHA inspectors

(see OSHA Workers' web page for more information)
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What are workers rights?

• Identify and correct problems in their
  workplaces, working with their employers whenever
  possible
• Complain to OSHA about workplace conditions
  threatening their health or safety in person, by
  telephone, by fax, by mail or electronically
  through OSHAs web site
• Section 11(c) of the OSH Act gives workers the
  right to seek safe and healthful conditions on
  the job without being disciplined or fired

(see OSHA Workers' web page for more information)
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OSHA Workers' Page
www.osha.gov/as/opa/worker/index.html
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What are employers rights responsibilities?

• Employers must provide a safe and healthful
  workplace free of recognized hazards and follow
  the OSHA standards
• The OSH Act grants employers important rights,
  particularly during and after an OSHA inspection
• Employers must provide training, medical
  examinations and recordkeeping

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Competent Person in Construction

• A person who
• Knows the right standard,
• Can identify hazards in the operation, and
• Is designated by the employer, and has the
  authority to take appropriate actions.
• "Competent Person" is found in many standards.
• Some standards set specific requirements for
  the "competent person."

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Workplace Inspections

• Establishments covered by the OSH Act are
  subject to inspection by OSHA compliance safety
  and health officers (CSHO's)
• Most inspections are conducted without advance
  notice

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What Types of Hazards are Addressed in Standards?

• Electrical
• Cranes
• Falls
• Excavation

• Scaffolding
• Machines
• Stairways Ladders
• Chemical

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The OSH Act of 1970

• Section 5(b) - Follow the written rules.
• Section 5(a)(1) - General Duty Clause.
• Fix what you can know is broken.
• Each employer shall furnish a place of employment
  which is free of serious, recognizable hazards to
  the health and safety of their employees.

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Inspection Types I

• Programmed Inspections (industry problem)
• Random selection by computer report
• Special emphasis programs based on kinds of
  hazards in a line of work
• Comprehensive with chance of Focus

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Inspection Types II

• Unprogrammed inspections (site problem)
• Accidents fatalities or catastrophes (3 or more
  people admitted to the hospital)
• Complaints signed by current employee or phone
  fax ignored by the employer
• Referral notice of a hazard by a credible
  safety professional or confirmed report from the
  media or by another government agency

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Inspections

• Compliance Safety and Health Officers (CSHOs)
  work for the Secretary of Labor to
• enter without delay and at reasonable times any
  work place
• inspect and investigate during regular working
  hours and at other reasonable times,
• and to perform their work within reasonable
  limits and in a reasonable manner.

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Employer may Qualify for "Focused Inspection"

• Has to meet certain conditions
• Inspector will "focus" on these four hazard
  areas
• Falls
• Struck by
• Caught in/between
• Electrical

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Inspection Process

• CSHO displays official credentials
• Opening conference
• Walk-around inspection
• Closing conference

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Inside an Inspection The Opening

• At the Opening Conference, CSHOs
• Present their credentials to the highest ranking
  management official - and everyone else smart
  enough to ask.
• Explain the general Nature and Scope of the
  inspection - why theyre there and where they
  intend to look.

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More on the Opening Conference

• Subcontractors should be invited to the opening
  conference if the inspection will include their
  work areas.
• Employees who are members of a union must be
  allowed to have a representative present during
  the opening conference.

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Inside the Inspection The Walk-Around

• The physical inspection of the workplace is
  called the Walk-around.
• Employers should always have a representative
  walk with the CSHO.
• Authorized reps for employees also have the right
  to be on the walk-around.
• The CSHO decides how to do the walk.

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More on the Walk- Around

• CSHOs have the authority to
• Take photographs and site samples related to the
  purpose of the inspection.
• Privately interview any employee.
• CSHOs have a duty to
• Be fair, thorough and reasonable in the time and
  manner of inspection.
• To not create hazards or labor problems.

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Inside an Inspection More Info

• Records Review
• Injury and illness records
• Safety plans
• Contracts
• Training records

• Research
• Manufacturers info
• Industry practices
• OSHA policy
• Reviewing other contractors programs

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Inside an InspectionClosing Conference

• A Closing Conference is held at the end of an
  inspection for all representatives.
• If more research is needed, a Preliminary
  Closing is still given to list concerns so
  employers can fix any problems right away.
• Closings are a chance to ask questions or to
  speak up if folks think the CSHO misunderstood
  the situation.

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What Happens After an OSHA Inspection?

• OSHA may or may not issue citations
• Citations inform employer and employees of the
  regulations and standards allegedly violated and
  of the proposed time for abatement
• Employer must post a copy of each citation at or
  near place where violation occurred, for 3 days
  or until violation is corrected, whichever is
  longer

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Citations

• Other than serious
• Serious
• Repeat
• Willful
• Egregious

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Recordkeeping and Reporting

• Employers of 11 or more employees must maintain
  records of occupational injuries and illnesses

• All employers must display the OSHA poster, and
  report to OSHA within 8 hours any accident that
  results in a fatality or in-patient
  hospitalization of 3 or more employees

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Recordkeeping Forms

• Maintained on a calendar year basis
• Summary of records for the previous year must be
  posted from February through April

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Recordkeeping The 300 Log

• Each employer shall
• Keep a log and summary of all recordable injuries
  and illnesses (Form 300).
• Enter each recordable injury and illness on the
  log and summary no later than 6 working days
  after receiving information that a recordable
  injury or illness has occurred.

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Reporting Accidents

• If there is a death or catastrophe
  (hospitalization of three or more employees) as
  the result of a single work-related incident,
  the employer must call and report the event to
  OSHA.
• Calls must be made within 8 hours.
• Calls can be placed to the National Hotline at
  1-800-321-OSHA. Know the areas zip code.

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Sources of Assistance

• OSHA web site (www.osha.gov)
• Consultation assistance
• Federal and State area offices
• Speakers, publications, a/v aids, technical
  advice
• Training and education
• OSHA Training Institute (OTI) and the OTI
  Education Centers
• OSHA Outreach Training Program
• OSHA Office of State Programs
• Voluntary Protection Programs

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OSHA Web Site(www.osha.gov)

• About OSHA (events, whats new . . .)
• Compliance Assistance (regulations, directives,
  consultation, eTools, training . . .)
• Cooperative Programs (VPP, partnerships )
• News Room (publications, news releases . . .)
• Safety / Health Topics (technical links to
  various topics)
• Statistics (Inspection data, BLS survey link ...)

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Where to Get OSHA Standards

• Federal Register in public libraries or at GPO
  web site
• CD-ROM subscription through U.S. Government
  Printing Office (GPO)
• Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) in public
  libraries and through GPO
• OSHA web site - OSHA standards, interpretations,
  directives (www.osha.gov)

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Consultation Assistance

• Provided at no cost
• Developed for smaller employers with more
  hazardous operations
• Delivered by state government agencies or
  universities employing professional safety and
  health consultants
• No penalties are proposed or citations issued
• Possible violations of OSHA standards are not
  reported to OSHA enforcement staff unless
  employer fails to eliminate or control any
  serious hazard or imminent danger

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OSHA Emergency Hot-Line1-800-321-OSHA

• Report workplace safety or health fatalities or
  the hospitalization of 3 or more employees
• Report a workplace hazard
• File a complaint about a workplace hazard
• Request information on OSHA
• Request an OSHA publication

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Summary

• OSHA helps save lives and prevent injuries
• OSHA balances a cooperative approach with
  traditional enforcement
• OSHA standards are the enforceable requirements
  for worker safety and health
• Inspections are OSHAs way to ensure compliance
• OSHA offers various means of assistance