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OSHA rules about workplace safety
Aug. 6th, 2020 12:06 pm Do you work indoors, or do you know someone who works indoors?
Here's a document created by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3021.pdf
I was going to paraphrase, but this is a very well written document. I've emphasized some words, and done a bit to frame a quote, but most of this is direct quotes. Here's some helpful information:
"Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe and healthful workplace that is free from serious recognized hazards. This is commonly known as the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act."
The law does not say that the risk must be mitigated or reduced, or that it's really hard to get teenagers to wear masks, or any other such nonsense. The law clearly states that the workplace will be FREE FROM serious recognized hazards. COVID-19 is a serious and recognized hazard. Schools that expect teachers to work where they will probably be exposed to a serious and recognized hazard are willfully violating the law. Libraries that expect librarians to work where they will be exposed to a serious and recognized hazard are willfully violating the law. Restaurants that expect workers to work where they will be exposed to a serious and recognized hazard are willfully violating the law.
Even though COVID-19 may not yet have specific OSHA standards yet associated with keeping the workplace FREE FROM serious recognized hazards, "Employers must also comply with the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act. This clause requires employers to keep their workplaces free of serious recognized hazards and is generally cited when no specific OSHA standard applies to the hazard."
ADDITIONALLY, "OSHA gives workers and their representatives the right to see information that employers collect on hazards in the workplace. Workers have the right to know what hazards are present in the workplace and how to protect themselves. Many OSHA standards require various methods that employers must use to inform their employees, such as warning signs, color-coding, signals, and training. Workers must receive their normal rate of pay to attend training that is required by OSHA standards and rules. The training must be in a language and vocabulary that workers can understand."
*******************
I understand that essential workers have been working outside of these limits for a while. It was chaos, and accommodations were made so that everyone could get their ducks in a row. Those accommodations are over. It's time to go back to "rules as written."
Here's a document created by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3021.pdf
I was going to paraphrase, but this is a very well written document. I've emphasized some words, and done a bit to frame a quote, but most of this is direct quotes. Here's some helpful information:
"Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe and healthful workplace that is free from serious recognized hazards. This is commonly known as the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act."
The law does not say that the risk must be mitigated or reduced, or that it's really hard to get teenagers to wear masks, or any other such nonsense. The law clearly states that the workplace will be FREE FROM serious recognized hazards. COVID-19 is a serious and recognized hazard. Schools that expect teachers to work where they will probably be exposed to a serious and recognized hazard are willfully violating the law. Libraries that expect librarians to work where they will be exposed to a serious and recognized hazard are willfully violating the law. Restaurants that expect workers to work where they will be exposed to a serious and recognized hazard are willfully violating the law.
Even though COVID-19 may not yet have specific OSHA standards yet associated with keeping the workplace FREE FROM serious recognized hazards, "Employers must also comply with the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act. This clause requires employers to keep their workplaces free of serious recognized hazards and is generally cited when no specific OSHA standard applies to the hazard."
ADDITIONALLY, "OSHA gives workers and their representatives the right to see information that employers collect on hazards in the workplace. Workers have the right to know what hazards are present in the workplace and how to protect themselves. Many OSHA standards require various methods that employers must use to inform their employees, such as warning signs, color-coding, signals, and training. Workers must receive their normal rate of pay to attend training that is required by OSHA standards and rules. The training must be in a language and vocabulary that workers can understand."
*******************
I understand that essential workers have been working outside of these limits for a while. It was chaos, and accommodations were made so that everyone could get their ducks in a row. Those accommodations are over. It's time to go back to "rules as written."
