Occupational Health & Safety Codes
Occupational health and safety codes are designed to protect the safety rights of workers on the job. These codes help reduce work-related injuries and deaths by setting standards for employers and workplaces. In the U.S., occupational health codes are developed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Most developed countries have similar organizations dedicated to improving worker safety.
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OSHA
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OSHA is a federal agency that operates as part of the U.S. Department of Labor. It was formed under the OSHA Act of 1970 and refined through a subsequent act in 2004. Under these acts, OSHA was given the power to develop safety standards for employees in the U.S. These standards are applicable to the vast majority of workers, though special exemptions may be granted under certain circumstances. OSHA has the power to levy fines and enforce penalties against non-compliant employers.
OSHA also develops training programs for workers and has programs in place to support workers who were terminated for refusing to work in unsafe conditions. The organization is continually updating its published standards to reflect new hazards in the workplace.
Standards
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There are three main categories of OSHA Standards. The first covers general industry and addresses issues ranging from safe equipment use to employee exposure to hazardous substances. The second set of standards applies to the construction industry and includes such topics as fall protection, safe tool and equipment use, and the use of personal protective gear. The third set of OSHA guidelines applies to maritime industries, such as shipbuilders and ports and address the special hazards faced by those working on the water.
OSHA also produces standards related to administrative governance of worker health and safety. This includes injury-reporting guidelines, non-compliance penalties and other administrative tasks.
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State Organizations
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The OSHA Act of 1970 authorized states to develop their own occupational safety codes to take the place of federal OSHA standards. All state programs must be at least as stringent as the federal codes, but they may include additional regulations the states deem necessary. If OSHA approves a state program, the federal government will fund up to 50 percent of the costs of developing and enforcing state codes.
As of September 2009, 22 states had developed safety standards that had been approved by OSHA. Four additional states had created codes that applied only to state and local government workers; federal OSHA standards govern all other employees of those states.
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