Introduction to OSHA
This module explains why OSHA exists, the rights it gives workers, the responsibilities it places on employers, and how the agency enforces safe workplaces. Understanding these basics helps you recognize when your rights are being protected and what to do when they are not.
The OSH Act and Why OSHA Exists
Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970 after decades of preventable workplace deaths and injuries. The Act created OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) within the U.S. Department of Labor to assure safe and healthful working conditions. OSHA does this by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. The overall goal is simple: every worker should be able to go home safe at the end of the day.
Worker Rights
OSHA gives workers important rights on the job. You have the right to a safe workplace, to receive training and information about hazards in a language you understand, and to review records of work-related injuries and illnesses. You can request an OSHA inspection and speak to the inspector, and you can report an injury or raise a safety concern without being punished. It is illegal for an employer to retaliate against a worker for exercising these rights, and workers who face retaliation can file a whistleblower complaint.
Employer Responsibilities and the General Duty Clause
Employers have the main responsibility for keeping the workplace safe. They must follow all applicable OSHA standards, provide required training and PPE, and keep the workplace free from serious recognized hazards. This last duty comes from the General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, which applies even when no specific standard covers a hazard. Employers must also display the official OSHA 'It's the Law' poster and keep required injury and illness records.
Inspections, Citations, and Filing a Complaint
OSHA conducts inspections in response to imminent dangers, serious injuries, complaints, referrals, and programmed targeting of high-hazard work. If violations are found, OSHA issues citations that describe the hazard, the standard violated, and a deadline to fix it, and the employer must post the citation near the location. Workers can file a complaint online, by phone, by mail, or in person, and may ask OSHA to keep their identity confidential. Filing a complaint is a protected right, and a worker does not have to be injured first to request an inspection.