A reader comments: “Why do you make such a big deal about safety? We all know it is important and really do not need the constant reminding."

OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) was created in 1970 to help employees reduce injuries, illnesses and deaths on the job in America. Yes, if we all did the right thing all the time, there would be no need for a federal (and many state) watch dog program to make sure that workers are protected. Due to their diligence, black lung disease has all but disappeared in America, although it is still common in other parts of the world.

Over 5,000 American workers die each year due to workplace injuries that range from falls to toxic vapors. Another 50,000 die from workplace exposure that may have taken a longer period of time to be fatal. And well over 4 million workers suffer from non-fatal injuries and illnesses costing American industry well over $165 billion. Yes, that is a B for billions.

OSHA sees its role as a guardian of the public health and does it through three primary avenues: 1) Strong, fair and effective enforcement, 2) Education and compliance assistance and 3) Partnering with state and volunteer programs with similar goals. OSHA makes themselves available to provide consultations through site visits.

Some groups not covered directly by OSHA include the self-employed, members of immediate family of farm employers that do not employ outside employees, employees covered by other federal agencies and employees of state and local governments. There are several states with their own occupational safety and health programs that cover many of the same areas as OSHA.

We will cover the basics in a future article.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net.


posted on 8/27/2015