When Do You Have to Call OSHA?

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration serves as the federal authority to oversee health and safety initiatives in the workplace. Its mission is to protect the health and safety of employers and employees. Hazards warrant a call to OSHA.

Fatal Hazards

According to OSHA, the top reporting priorities are those that are life-threatening. If potentially fatal hazards are identified in a workplace, call OSHA and report the findings. OSHA says that employers are mandated to report occupational fatalities and catastrophes within eight hours to OSHA.

Complaints

If employers do not rectify identified hazards in the workplace, employees should contact OSHA and file a complaint against their employer. The complaint will be reviewed and possibly investigated by OSHA representatives to gather more information. Complaints can be kept anonymous for the protection of the employee.

Intentional Acts

If employers intentionally disregard safety standards or do not provide employees with safety training or personal protective equipment, employees should contact OSHA. Upon notice, OSHA will roll out enforcement activities. According to OSHA, hazard communication, fall protection and machine guarding are among the top 10 cited standards.

References

• OSHA: OSHA Complaint Handling Process
• OSHA: Top 10 Most Frequently Cited Standards