Worker’s Rights
PPT-SM-WRKRGHTS
2014
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Copyright © 2014 by PEC Safety Management, Inc.
Occupational Safety and Health Act
• In 1911, 146 employees died in the 1911
Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire
• These employees died because the doors
were locked and there were no fire escapes
• OSHA was created to prevent tragedies
like this from occurring
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PPT-SM-WRKRGHTS
2014
Occupational Safety and Health Act
• On December 29, 1970, President Nixon
signed the OSH Act
• This act created
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OSHA
Uniform workplace regulations
Workers’ rights
A legal responsibility to provide a safe and
healthful workplace
PPT-SM-WRKRGHTS
2014
OSHA
• OSHA was created to protect you, the worker
• OSHA’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and
protect the health of America’s workers
• OSHA
– Develops job safety and health standards
– Enforces these standards through worksite inspections
– Maintains a reporting and recordkeeping system to keep track of
job-related injuries and illnesses
– Provides training programs to increase knowledge about
occupational health and safety
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OSHA
OSHA covers
• Private sector employees
• Religious groups that employ workers for
secular purposes
• Most fields
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OSHA
OSHA does not cover
• The self-employed
• Immediate members of farming families not employing
outside workers
• Mine workers
• Certain truckers and transportation workers
• Atomic energy workers who are covered by other
federal agencies
• Public employees in state and local governments
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Workers’ Rights
• The OSH Act provided workers with certain rights
• You have the right to
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A safe and and healthful workplace
Know and understand about hazardous chemicals
Information about injuries and illnesses in your workplace
Complain or request hazard correction from your employer
Receive safety training
Review exposure and medical records
File a complaint with OSHA
Participate in an OSHA inspection
Be free from retaliation for exercising safety and health rights
PPT-SM-WRKRGHTS
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Right to a Safe and Healthful Workplace
• You have the right to a safe and healthful
workplace
• You have the right to work in conditions that
are free of known hazards
OSHA is here to help you. If you have any questions,
contact OSHA
www.OSHA.gov
Call toll-free at 1-800-321-6742
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Right to Know and Understand About
Hazardous Chemicals
You have the right to know about chemical hazards
in the workplace and how to protect yourself from
them
• Employers must inform and train workers about
hazardous chemicals
• This training must be provided free of charge
• Safety data sheets about each hazardous
chemical must be available
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Right to Know and Understand About
Hazardous Chemicals
You have the right to understand these chemical
hazards
• The Globally Harmonized System provides
universal hazard symbols
• You have the right to understand and interpret SDS
sheets without confusion
• Training must be provided in language and
vocabulary you understand
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Right to Know and Understand About
Hazardous Chemicals
Employers must
• Have a written, complete hazard communication
plan
• Provide you with safety data sheets about each
chemical
• Include a list of the hazardous chemicals in each
work area
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Right to Information About Injuries and Illnesses
• OSHA requires companies to keep injury and illness
records
• You have a right to review those records
• Employers must
– Record any serious work-related injury or illness on OSHA
Form 300
– Post a summary of this form 300 log every year (Feb 1 –
April 30)
• You have the right to receive and review a copy of this
log
• Your employer must provide this document for you within
1 business day
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Right to Complain or Request Hazard Correction
• Employers and workers must work together to create a safe
and healthful workplace
• Report unsafe or unhealthful working conditions
• You cannot be punished for filing a complaint
• It is against the law for an employer to take any of the
following actions because you reported a work hazard
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Transfer you
Deny a raise
Reduce your hours
Fire you
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Right to Training
• You have the right to get training from your employer
in health and safety hazards
• Some examples of required training include
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Lockout-tagout
Bloodborne pathogens
Noise
Confined spaces
Fall protection
• Training must be provided for you in a language and
vocabulary that you can understand
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Right to Exposure and Medical Records
You have the right to see and make a copy of your
exposure and medical records
• Monitoring results of workplace air
• Measurements of toxic substances or harmful physical
agents in the workplace
• Biological monitoring results, such as blood and urine
test results
• Medical and employment questionnaires or histories
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Right to Exposure and Medical Records
You have the right to see and make a copy of your
exposure and medical records
• Results of medical exams and laboratory tests
• Medical opinions, diagnoses, progress notes, and
recommendations
• First-aid records
• Descriptions of treatments and prescriptions
• Employee medical complaints
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Right to File a Complaint
• If you believe a violation of a safety or health
standard, or an imminent danger situation, exists in
your workplace, you have the right
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To file a complaint with OSHA
Call OSHA and speak with an OSHA compliance officer
To find out OSHA’s action on the complaint
Request a review if an inspection is not made
• Your privacy will be protected
• OSHA will not reveal your name to your employer
unless you tell them to do so
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Right to Participate in an OSHA Inspection
You have the right to
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Participate in an OSHA inspection
Have your representative accompany the inspector on the inspection
Talk to the inspector privately
Point out hazards, describe injuries, illness or near misses that resulted
from those hazards
Describe any concern you have about a safety or health issue
Find out about inspection results and abatement measures
Get involved in any meetings or hearings related to the inspection
Object to the date set for the violation to be corrected
Receive notice if the employer files a contest
PPT-SM-WRKRGHTS
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Right to be Free from Retaliation
• You have the right to seek safety and health on
the job without fear of punishment for filing
safety complaints
• You have the right to refuse to work if you
believe in good faith that you will be exposed to
an imminent danger
• If you believe you have been punished for
exercising your safety and health rights, you must
contact OSHA within 30 days
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Worker Responsibility
• These rights also carry worker responsibility
– Comply with occupational safety and health
standards
– All rules, regulations, and orders apply to you
– Follow all appropriate safety and health rules
– Wear protective equipment while working
• OSHA protects you, but you must also protect
yourself
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Employer Responsibility
• Employers also have a responsibility to keep you safe
• Employers must
– Provide a workplace free from recognized hazards
– Comply with OSHA standards
– Provide training
– Provide medical exams when required by OSHA standards
– Provide workers access to their exposure and medical records
– Not discriminate against workers who exercise their rights
under the OSH Act
– Post OSHA citations and abatement verification notices
– Provide and pay for PPE
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Employer Responsibility
Employers must
Keep records of injuries and illnesses
Set up a reporting system
Provide copies of logs upon request
Post the annual summary of injuries and
illnesses
• Report any accident resulting in a fatality or
the hospitalization of 3 or more workers within
8 hours
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Worker and Employer Responsibility
• Despite the best efforts of OSHA
– 15 workers die every day from job injuries
– Over 5,600 Americans die from workplace injuries
every year
– Over 4 million non-fatal workplace injuries and
illnesses are reported every year
• Know your rights
• When workers and employers work together to
reduce safety hazards, fewer deaths and
accidents occur
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PPT-SM-WRKRGHTS
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Name:
Date:
2.
OSHA’s mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and protect the health of America’s workers.
A. true
B. false
3.
OSHA covers _______________.
A. Private sector employees
B. Mine workers
C. Public employees in state and local governments
D. The self-employed
4.
You have the right to safety training in language and vocabulary that you understand.
A. true
B. false
5.
Employers and workers must work together to create a safe and healthful workplace.
A. true
B. false
6.
During an OSHA inspection, you have the right to _________________.
A. Ask the inspector to leave
B. Take the day off
C. Talk to the inspector privately
D. All of the above
7.
If you believe you have been punished for exercising your safety and health rights, you
must contact OSHA within _____________ days.
A. 3 days
B. 7 days
C. 15 days
D. 30 days
8.
Workers have a responsibility to _____________.
A. comply with occupational safety and health standards
B. follow all applicable rules, regulations, and orders
C. wear protective equipment while working
D. all of the above
9.
You have the right to __________________.
A. information about injuries and illnesses in your workplace
B. complain or request hazard correction from your employer
C. ÀOHDFRPSODLQWZLWK26+$
D. all of the above
10. Training will be provided to you at an affordable rate.
A. true
B. false
QUIZ-SM-WORKERS’ RIGHTS
REV. JAN.24 2014
Workers’ Rights
The OSH Act created ________________.
A. the Department of Labor
B. NIOSH
C. OSHA
D. EPA
© 2014 PEC Safety, Inc.
1.
Safety Meeting Quiz: Workers’ Rights
Sign and date this quiz sheet.
Circle the letter representing the correct
answer to each quiz question below.
Safety Meeting Answer Key: Workers’ Rights
1.
C
2.
A
3.
A
4.
A
5.
A
6.
C
7.
D
8.
D
9.
D
10. B
© 2014 PEC Safety, Inc.
Workers’ Rights
Instructors: The following key shows the answers for the Workers’ Rights safety meeting quiz.
KEY-SM-WORKERS’ RIGHTS
REV. JAN.24 2014
This is to certify that
has successfully completed the
PEC Safety Meeting
Workers’ Rights
Instructor
Date Awarded