A quick & informative article that explains what the OSHA organization is, their purpose, and the importance of workplace safety compliance.
If you work a blue collar job in America, I can almost guarantee you’ve heard of OSHA. They are referenced pretty much anytime when talking about workplace safety, hazardous issues, or compliance. But what exactly is the OSHA organization and what do you as a worker need to know about them? We will go over all of that and more in this overview, so stay tuned.
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration
What is OSHA?
OSHA is an acronym that stands for “Occupational Safety and Health Administration”. This organization is an agency within the US Department of Labor and is responsible for ensuring safe working conditions for workers in the United States.
As it is part of the government, this agency has legal authority to enforce workplace safety standards by issuing fines and violations to companies who are found being negligent, either accidentally or on purpose.
History of the OSHA
Here is a brief history of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration:
In 1970, the US government passed a federal law known as the Occupational Safety and Health Act, or the OSH Act for short. This act was aimed at ensuring that all US workers would have safe working conditions.
As part of the OSH Act, the government formed the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1971. This organization was charged with carrying out the tasks of the OSH Act. It would set the standard for workplace safety, establish guidelines for employers, and make sure that companies were held accountable.
Later in 1971, the administration published its first safety standard. Since then, OSHA has established nearly 1,000 safety standards. These standards are grouped into 4 categories: general industry, construction, maritime, and agriculture. Though there are only 4 groups, OSHA standards provide guidance for safety that apply to virtually every industry.
OSHA’s Mission & Purpose
The mission and purpose of the OSHA organization is to:
- oversee workplace safety within the states,
- establish standardized safety measures, and
- enforce compliance with those standards.
Along with these main objectives, the Occupational Safety and Health administration also strives to educate about safety, provide training and resources to employers, respond to worker complaints, conduct workplace inspections, and investigate any workplace safety incidents.
Additional information about each of these responsibilities can be found on their website.
The OSHA Organization & Compliance
While the history and origins of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are great to know, your biggest concern as a worker or employer is compliance. So, what do you need to know?
- First, compliance with OSHA-established standards is not voluntary – it is mandated. The US government expects all employers within the country to comply with this agency and has given them authority to discipline any companies or individuals found in non-compliance.
- Second, there are consequences for non-compliance. Companies who are reported for compliance issues will be issued a violation, forced to pay a fine, and re-evaluated later on. Fines are based on the severity and type of infraction; however, they can be tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Click here to learn more about the fine values.
- Lastly, the repercussions for non-compliance extend beyond what OSHA may inflict. Not only does non-compliance lead to hefty fines, but it can also damage your company and personal reputation, lead to higher safety risks, enable serious accidents or fatalities, disrupt operations, and much more.
At the end of the day, it is up to employers to provide adequate training to their staff and create a culture of safety. While doing so can seem like a lot of effort, it is always recommended to make safety and compliance high priorities.
Conclusion
OSHA or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a US government agency dedicated to ensuring that all workers within the states have safe working conditions. Since being founded in 1970, this organization has created hundreds of safety standards to provide employers with the tools to create hazard-free work environments. They continue to create and enforce these standards today, making it imperative for workers and employers of all industries to know about OSHA, understand their mission, and strive for compliance.
