The Whistleblower Program

As the name implies, the “Whistleblower Program,” established by OSHA was setup to protect employees who complain to the OSHA about their working conditions, and the lack of safety in their workplace.

The “Whistleblower Program,” is mandated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and prohibits any employee from being fired or discriminated against, after filing an OSHA complaint. Based on the guidelines established for the “Whistleblower Program,” employees have a right to participate in inspections against their employer, submit complaints about OSHA violations, and be a witness in the OSHA's case against their employer. So if you have to make complaints about your workplace safety, know the “Whistleblower Program” is there to protect you.

OSHA QuickCards

If you are away from your computer, and prefer a quick way to review OSHA regulations on the jobsite, the OSHA fact sheets entitled, “OSHA QuickCards,” are ideal for you. “OSHA QuickCards” are perfect for employers and their staff members to carry a shortened version of their OSHA regulations.

“OSHA QuickCards” are available in *.pdf format, and can be downloaded in Spanish as well. After printing downloading and printing, place these fact sheets in your wallet, or paste on the wall in your workplace. These fact sheets possess essential information, which should be handed out to staff and coworkers.

OSHA Regulation Violations

Even with the amount of information available, OSHA regulation violations still do occur. Violations can be described as a company failing to adhere to safety regulations. These violations can occur due to management or employees ignoring regulations, or failing to keep informed about current regulations.

Common violations seen by OSHA include failing to wear hearing protection or safety glasses, which were discovered as a result of employees loosing their hearing, or damaging their eyes. Another violation commonly seen involves a few companies who were cited for their haphazard way of documenting employee injuries. By not keeping proper records, it would be hard to assess what areas needed safety improvements. Lastly, another common violation found in some workplaces, are blocked safety doors that need to be used to escape in the event of an emergency.

Want OSHA Safety Training?

Studying is not for everyone, but the training and certifications programs provided by the OSHA are certainly worth it. Training programs and certifications can be completed either online, or at various OSHA Training Institute (OTI) education centers, which have been grouped together by region.

Programs offered by the OSHA Training Institute include courses such as, “Electrical Standards,” “Health Hazard Awareness,” and “Hazardous Materials.”

OSHA has also established the “OSHA Outreach Training Program,” to teach students how to train others about safety in the workplace

OSHA Record Keeping

The Occupational Safety and Health Act makes it mandatory for all employers to enter a record of work-related injuries or sickness. It is a good idea to download the required forms from the OSHA Web site.

The forms used, OSHA Form 300: “Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses,” are quite comprehensive and provides areas for the employer to describe the illness or injury each employee received. A summary of form 300 is submitted to the OSHA at the end of the year.

Record keeping was implemented by the OSHA as a way in which to keep track of various accidents or illnesses occurring in a particular workplace. Data from this can be used to highlight company with an unsafe track record, or a manufacturing industry with a common injury. Using this information, further regulations or inspections can be implemented to correct them.

Keep Informed On OSHA Regulations

The most important tip about OSHA regulations, is not just about complying with these regulations, but also making sure you are up-to-date on recent changes, which might affect your workplace.

As new regulations are introduced, and old regulations are revised or discarded, knowing the current regulation and adhering to them is one of best ways to show compliance.

Some workplaces will implement OSHA regulations in the beginning, but fail to update their workplace on revisions to these regulations. As a result, a scenario can arise in which you are found to be in violation of OSHA regulations, by not keeping updated. So spend some time reading the current OSHA regulations to ensure compliance.

OSHA Regulation Compliance

Compliance to OSHA regulations can be achieved by ensuring every person in your workplace is educated about the rules set forth by the OSHA. However, as an employer, it is your duty to ensure your workplace follows these regulations. There are various tips that can be adopted to help your workers comply.

The first tip an employer can adopt to ensure compliance is to have regularly scheduled discussions on how to make the workplace environment safer. During these seminars, OSHA regulations can be continually stated and reinforced.

Another tip to help ensure OSHA regulation compliance in your workplace is to send out memos or safety updates reminding employees of the proper protective equipment to use, and how to perform care and maintenance for them.

A third tip to implement within your workplace is the use of brochures and pamphlets highlighting specific job-related regulations.

With the use of these tips, noncompliance can be eradicated among your employees.

Need To File A Complaint With OSHA?

If you have been a witness to obvious safety regulation violations, and would like to file a complaint with OSHA, this is actually a simple process. OSHA has provided four different methods – by phone, fax, online, or postal mail - to submit your complaint.

After your complaint is received, OSHA will carry out an investigation into the details of your complaint to determine if a visit to your workplace is needed to view safety violations. If an onsite inspection occurs in the end, OSHA will send you a response detailing if any violations were discovered, and how the company will be penalized.

OSHA Policies

As an employer, or safety officer within your workplace, employees must be informed of how the OSHA regulations affect them. This can be achieved by meeting separately with each department, conducting a seminar or an afternoon meeting.

Not only should employees be told of the rules set by OSHA for their workplace, they should be encouraged to follow OSHA regulations, because in doing so, a safer work environment is created.

It is important that employees know that OSHA regulations are not a form of punishment, or some tedious rules to follow, but rather they have been established to keep them - and everyone around them - safe.

Interested In Being Recognized For Safety Regulation Compliance?

The Safety Health Achievement Recognition Program is a wonderful way for the OSHA to recognize those businesses or workplaces, which have compiled with OSHA safety regulations.

The certification and recognition in the SHARP program involves a visit by an OSHA consultant. The consultant will outline areas needing improvement, which might be hazardous to your employees. After improvement in these areas, it will then be determined if your business can become certified.

The OSHA consultation office will also monitor statistics as you lower your workplace injury and illness rates. The consultant must also be notified if any changes are made to the workplace, in case new dangers are introduced.