Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA)
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 contains requirements for all employers "engaged in a business affecting commerce who has employees" with exceptions for governmental entities and those involving mining, transportation, nuclear energy, and nuclear weapons manufacturing.
OSHA and Workplace Safety
The Department of Labor has provided an overview of the Act and its requirements, available from the following DOL website.
View overview
OSHA Approved State Plans
Twenty-four states and Puerto Rico have implemented OSHA-approved state plans that may have additional requirements. Please see link below for a listing of the states and a link to each state's requirements.
View state listing
General Industry Standards
The following link provides an explanation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements that apply to employers in general industry including the need for employers to implement an emergency action plan and fire prevention plan. General industry employers are defined as those that are not involved in construction, maritime, or agriculture.
View industry standards
OSHA's Injury and Illness Recordkeeping Rule
One of OSHA's rules requires employers to keep the following records:
- OSHA Form 300, which is a log of the previous year's work-related illnesses and injuries.
- OSHA Form 300a, which is a summary of the data continued in the OSHA Form 300. The summary Form 300a must be posted by the employer from February 1 of the year following the year covered by the form and keep it posted until April 30 of that year.
- OSHA Form 301, which is an incident report form and may be substituted by a workers compensation form as long as all of the necessary information is included.
For more information on recordkeeping requirements, please visit the following sections of the OSHA website:
Ergonomics for Computer Workstations
Many employees are office-based and primarily work on a computer during the work day. A properly placed computer and other work accessories could lessen repetitive motion disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
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