Web Assignment

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

In Partial Fulfillment of BA 435 /635 : Labor Relations

Bellevue University College of Business

Submitted to : Professor Paul Poppler

Submitted by

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Section I : About Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA or the U .S . Occupational Safety and Health Administration is a federal government agency that is under the wings of the Department of Labor . It is entrusted with enforcing rules , or standards , aimed at preventing work-related sicknesses , injuries , and fatalities . Aside from enforcing workplace safety standards , OSHA also provides training programs , outreach

activities , and educational seminars . The agency was created through the passing of the Occupational Safety and Health Act on December 29 , 1970 , during the administration of President Richard Nixon OSHA 's current head is Edwin Foulke , Jr , Assistant Secretary of Labor

To properly carry out its functions , OSHA , in partnership with the different states , have more than 2000 inspectors , investigators for discrimination complaints , doctors , teachers , technical staff and support personnel distributed in about 200 offices nationwide

OSHA also conducts an ongoing public consultation in to improve its services . The agency 's representatives hold periodic meetings with employees and employers , focus groups , and plant workers to get feedback and input concerning work and safety-related s

Authority

The occupational safety agency has authority , as mandated by law , over federal government workers and most private employees . Mining and transportation workers , and the self-employed are not under OSHA 's authority . State and local public workers are protected under the OSH Act of 1970 . Under the OSH Act , states ' safety and health

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plans are permitted as long as they give protection similar to what OSHA can provide to both public and private sector workers in the region . If a state has its own workplace health and safety program that meets OSHA standards , the federal agency will shoulder some of the costs associated with the state 's program

There are twenty states in the country that have their own programs to protect public and private industry employees . The states of Connecticut , the Virgin Islands , New York , and New Jersey , have programs applicable only to the public sector employees . In these states , OSHA has jurisdiction over employees hired by private companies . The Postal Service agency is the only quasi-government body under the responsibility of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration The transfer of authority was enforced in 2000 under the Postal Act

Regulations

Since it inception in 1970 , the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has

implemented a number of changes in workplace safety and health . Among these are

Imposing a maximum concentration limit on chemicals and dusts

The use of protective clothing and equipment when handling dangerous chemicals

Turning off electrical equipment when conducting maintenance or repair and

Imposing the provision of safeguards on excavations and trenches

Website

The agency 's online site provides information that an organization or worker needs to know about the organization and its role in the work environment . Safety and health guidelines are posted in its Web address for easy access...