Safety at Work Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved

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Workplace Safety and Health Laws  Workplace safety is the responsibility of everyone in the organization.  HR professionals do play a major role in developing standards and adhering to legal matters in safety.  Section “Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Laws” addresses workplace laws as they related to safety. 3Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved

OSH Act 4  The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) is one of the most comprehensive U.S. laws regarding worker safety (enacted in 1970).  The OSH Act divided enforcement responsibilities between the Department of Labor and the Department of Health. Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved

OSHA  Under the Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for inspecting employers, applying safety and health standards, and levying fines for violation.  The Department of Health is responsible for conducting research to determine the criteria for specific operations or occupations, and is responsible for training employers to comply with the act.  Much of the research is conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). 5Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved

Right-to-know Laws 6  The Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) was established by Congress in They are also known as the right-to-know laws.  The purpose of this act was to require local and state governments to provide emergency response plans to respond to a chemical emergency.  These plans must be reviewed on an annual basis.  Companies that handle hazardous chemicals must develop response plans and make them available to local fire departments and state/local officials. Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved

Right-to-know Laws (continued) 7  A material safety sheet should be provided to employees detailing the chemical components, health risks of the substance, how to handle the material safely, and how to administer first aid in case of an accident.  The data sheets should be made public too.  In some cases, state laws are different and must be followed in addition to federal laws. In an organization, it is the HR professional’s responsibility to be aware of these differences, and to make sure that they are implemented in the organization. Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved

OSHA Enforcement 8  Record keeping is an important aspect of OSHA.  The aim of record keeping is to keep track of incidence rates, or the number of illnesses or injuries per year.  OSHA is also responsible for enforcing standards and performing inspections. Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved

Employer sponsored safety programs 9  Identifying and Communication Job Hazards The job hazard analysis technique is a safety promotion technique that involves breaking down a job into basic elements and then rating each element for its potential harm or injury. Technique of Operations Review (TOR) is a method of promoting safety by determining what specific element of a job led to a past accident. Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved

Employer Sponsored Safety Programs (continued) 10  Reinforcing Safe Practices One common technique for reinforcing safe practices is implementing a safety incentive program to reward workers for their support of and commitment to safety goals. Organizations can also target particular types of injuries or disabilities, especially those that could impact employees the most. Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved

11  Promoting Safety Internationally Organizations need to consider how to ensure the safety of their employees regardless of the nation in which they operate. Cultural differences can make this more difficult. It can be difficult because laws, enforcement practices, and political climates vary from country to country. Copyright © Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved Employer Sponsored Safety Programs (continued)