The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) establishes the fundamental regulations and procedures that employers must follow in order to have a safe and healthy work environment. However, this is a task that requires employers’ and workers’ shared responsibility and commitment. Here are five steps for both parties to follow to achieve this:
1. Know your rights and responsibilities.
Educate yourself about the laws and regulations of occupational safety of the area in which you work, especially in terms of risk prevention and safety protocols.
Read in our blog: Resources for injured workers in Texas.
2. Identify the possible risks of your workplace.
Managing the safety of your work environment requires that potential hazard reporting mechanisms be identified and/or available. These will help apply and evaluate reasonable control measures or improve existing ones. It is necessary to know the possible dangers to which a worker is exposed in order to control or eliminate them. Start with your workspace.
3. Development of guidance and ongoing training plans.
It is essential that all workers have the orientation, training, education, and work experience necessary to approach their tasks and responsibilities competently, safely, and without health risks. In addition, good orientation and training are essential for younger people, employees in job rotation programs, and new hires.
4. Provision and correct use of personal protection and safety equipment.
It is the employers’ duty to provide their workers with the appropriate equipment to protect themselves from the dangers to which they are exposed, as well as to receive training to use them correctly. Consequently, workers have the right to request them and the obligation to use them properly.
5. Supervision and monitoring.
A good supervision process is essential to determine the effectiveness of the worker’s training in terms of occupational safety.
Finally, as already mentioned, success in following these guidelines involves both employers and workers.
