Occupational Safety and Health Act OSHAct

In the United States the basis of the relative legislation covering chemicals in the workplace is the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHAct) which is enacted via the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). The objectives of this body are as listed below [B-17]. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHAct) is administered and enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Both OSH A and OSHAct were created in December 1970, the same month the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) was created. Unlike the US EPA, OSHA is essentially an enforcement organization and most of its employees are inspectors who perform thousands of workplace inspections per year it is a division of the Department of Labor. The OSHAct assures, as far as possible, that all working men or women have risk-free working environments and imposes on employers the obligation to provide employees with workplaces that are free from recognized health and safety hazards and to maintain compliance with specific OSHA standards. 

In the United States, the principal basis for the control of chemicals in an occupational context is the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHAct), which became law in 1970. This Act established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) within the Department of Labor. OSHA has established since that time a wide range of Standards covering most aspects of occupational health, the majority of which are published in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). 

OSHA was created in 1970 on passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHAct), Public Law 91-596. The OSHAct became effective on April 28, 1971, and authorized the federal government to establish and enforce standards for occupational safety and health. The intention of the OSHAct was to ensure that all employees in the United States had safe working conditions. The OSHAct also required the head of each federal agency (except the US Post Office) to establish an occupational safety and health program that is consistent with the standards promulgated under the act. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHAct) of 1970 was passed by Congress. . to assure so far as possible every working... 

It has always been our policy to provide a safe and healthy environment for all employees at our facilities. We expect every employee to uphold the standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHAct) and the safety and health measures of the company. No priority is to be placed above safety and health at any time. 

In 1970 the US Congress enacted a health and safety law that continues to have a significant impact on the practices of industrial hygiene in the chemical industry the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHAct). To appreciate the significance of the OSHAct, it is helpful to review regulations and practices2 before 1970. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHAct) remains the primary federal vehicle for ensuring workplace safety and health in the United States. This law requires that employers provide a place of employment free from recognized hazards to employee safety or health. The critical word is recognized because today s workplaces have many new materials and processes for which hazard knowledge is absent. This places a large responsibility on the employer to keep abreast of new knowledge and information about workplace hazards for their operations. The OSHAct established three agencies to deal with workplace safety and health. These were the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. 

OSHA does place responsibility for safety on the employer in the Occupational Safety and Health act of 1970 (OSHAct) through the general duty... 

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 available at http //www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owasrch.search form p doc type= OSHACT (accessed November 15, 2008). 

In practice, occupational safety and health includes moral and economic issues. There is also a legal compulsion for companies to promote occupational safety and health. The United States government and governments worldwide require protection of employees from hazards that may result in injury, illness, or death. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, commonly known as the OSHAct, every employer in the United States is required to provide a safe and healthful workplace. 

Prevention of occupationally related accidents/incidents is the law. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHAct) requires employers to provide a workplace free from hazards that could cause serious harm or death. Beyond that, it makes good business sense to prevent accident/incidents. More and more companies have come to realize that the OSHAct is a helpmate, not a hindrance, to their acddent/incident prevention initiative. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSH A) sets the foundation and assumes the role of law enforcer, allowing the employer to not be viewed as the bad guy to his or her employees. Employers can deflect responsibility to OSH A. 

Variances from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards are authorized under sections 6 and 16 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHAct), and the implementing rules contained in the Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR 1905). A variance may be requested by an employer or by a class of employers for specihc workplaces. 

Prevention of occupationally related accidents/incidents is the law. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHAct) requires employers to provide a workplace... 

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHAct) of 1970 requires most employers to provide employees with access to a material safety data sheet (MSDS) for any hazardous chemical. This right-to-know law for workers aims to ensme that people potentially exposed to such chemicals have access to information about the potential health effects of exposme and know how to avoid than. 

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