The+Occupational+Safety+and+Health+Act+(OSHA)

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=The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 =

= = The Occupational Safety and Health Act is a federal law which governs occupational health and safety in the federal government within the United States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. controlled territories. It was enacted by Congress in 1970 and was signed by president Richard Nixon on December 29. This act was to make sure that employers provide employees with an environment free of hazards, such as toxic chemicals, loud noise levels, mechanical dangers, too much hot or too much cold, and unsanitary conditions, though efforts to do so were minimal until the passage of the OSHA, or Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The law is national, not taking place under the same name or possibly at all in other countries.

=A Brief History... =

 The law began its conjuring early within American history. Back in the industrial age, the work place was unsanitary and dirty, usually having rats, roaches and being very prone to disease. People began dying or getting diseases because of the unsanitary conditions. The mangers and owners of businesses decided it was easier to replace a dead worker with new one, rather than spend the money to clean up the workplace.

= = =Why Was THIS Law Needed & What Does It Do... =

 This law is needed to ensure a safe and healthy workplace for all employees. To prevent deaths in the workplace, the law provides a set of safety standards that all workplaces must live up to, to ensure a safe workplace for employees, though 4340 workers died on the job in 2009. This law is needed to prevent the death of a worker on the job. Everyone in all 50 U.S states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. controlled territories is covered by this law. For example, this law provides workers with limited exposure to toxic and hazardous waste. Prior to the induction of this law, the workplace was dirty and unsanitary. Owners refused to clean buildings up, and sanitize their buildings due to the costs. Many fires, deaths and disease related deaths were due to unsanitary conditions in the workplace. Prior to the law, business owners did not have set standards they had to follow when running their business. With the induction of the law, workplaces across the U.S the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories have to follow set standards to keep their business running. The law also requires employers to record things such as


 * Death
 * Days away from work
 * Restricted work activity or job transfer
 * Medical treatment beyond first aid
 * Loss of consciousness

 All of these things must be recorded by employers and reported to the OSHA. Any violation of the set standards of the law, or failure to record any of the items listed above can result in a fine limited to 5,000 dollars per violation.

Interesting Statistic: In 1912, it is estimated that between 18 - 21,000 workers died in the workplace or due to work related injury, verse the 4340 workers that died in 2009.

=The Success Of The Law... =

 The law has been extremely successful across the U.S. The amount of work related illness, death, and injury has gone down over 20% since 1912. This may seem like a low percentage to the naked eye, but in reality it is a large decrease.

=Who Enforces The Law... =

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">The Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforces the law. Any questions you may have concerning the law that have not been answered in this Wiki theycan be answered by the OSHA. You can contact them at (334) 441-6131 ext.0.



= Works Cited =

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> "Occupational Safety and Health Act - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Feb. 2011. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupational_Safety_and_Health_Act>.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> "Occupational Safety and Health Administration - Home." Occupational Safety and Health Administration - Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> <http://www.osha.gov/>.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">"Improvements In Workplace Safety." jama.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <jama.ama-assn.org/content/282/4/319.2.full>.

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> http://www.oshahazmat40hrhazwopersafetytraining.com/

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;"> http://www.traincroft.com/demos/HF/Module_02/02_Regulatory_Requirements/osha-logo.gif