OSHA Responsibilities and Rights

Overview

OSHA is responsible for establishing rules, regulations, and practices that help keep us all safe at work. Under these rules, employees have certain rights and responsibilities in regard to workplace safety.

Responsibilities

Read the OSHA poster at the jobsite. Comply with all applicable OSHA standards. Follow all employer safety and health rules and regulations, and wear or use prescribed protective equipment while engaged in work. Report hazardous conditions to your supervisor. Report any job-related injury or illness to your employer, and seek treatment promptly. Cooperate with the OSHA compliance officer conducting an inspection if he or she inquires about safety and health conditions in your workplace. Exercise your rights under the Act in a responsible manner.

Rights

You have a right to seek safety and health on the job without fear of punishment. That right is spelled out in Section 11(c) of the Act. If you are exercising these or other OSHA rights, your employer is not allowed to discriminate against you in any way, such as through firing, demotion, taking away seniority or other earned benefits, transferring you  an undesirable job or shift, or threatening or harassing you.

As an employee, you also have the right to:

•  Review copies of appropriate OSHA standards, rules, regulations and requirements that your employer should have available at the workplace.

•  Request information from your employer on safety and health hazards in the area, on precautions that may be taken, and on procedures to be followed if you are involved in an accident or exposed to toxic substances.

•  Receive adequate training and information on workplace safety and health hazards. Request the OSHA area director to conduct an inspection if you believe hazardous conditions or violations of standards exist in your workplace.

•  Have your name withheld from your employer, upon request to OSHA, if you file a written and signed complaint.

•  Be advised of OSHA actions regarding your complaint and have an informal review, if requested, of any decision not to inspect or to issue a citation. Have your authorized employee representative accompany the OSHA compliance officer during the inspection tour.

•  Respond to questions from the OSHA compliance officer, particularly if there is no authorized employee representative accompanying the compliance officer.

•  Observe any monitoring or measuring of hazardous materials and have the right to see these records, as specified under the Act.

•  Have your authorized representative, or yourself, review the injury and illness recordkeeping forms (OSHA Nos. 300, 301, 300A) at a reasonable time and in a reasonable manner.

• Request a closing discussion with the compliance officer following an inspection. Submit a written request to NIOSH for information on whether any substance in your workplace has potentially toxic effects in the concentration being used, and have your name withheld from your employer if you so request.

•  Object to the abatement period set in the citation issued to your employer by writing to the OSHA area director within 15 working days of the issuance of the citation.

•  Be notified by your employer if he or she applies for a variance from an OSHA standard, and testify at a variance hearing and appeal the final decision.

•  Submit information or comment to OSHA on the issuance, modification, or revocation of OSHA standards and request a public hearing.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency