OSHA Compliance
After viewing the OSHA Strategic Plan Slideshow, examine OSHA’s goals and strategies in measuring results. How can employers comply with OSHA standards? How can employees conform to the rules, regulations, and orders of OSHA? What happens when OSHA standards are violated? Do you feel the violation penalties/consequences are fair? Why or why not? Include a minimum of one APA cited reference to support your response.
According to the United States Department of Labor (2012), employers can comply with OSHA standards by:
Provide a workplace free from serious recognized hazards and comply with standards, rules and regulations issued under the OSHA Act.
Examine workplace conditions to make sure they conform to applicable OSHA …show more content…
OSHA has the legal authority to inspect the workplace and procedures to ensure it meets standards. It usually does not provide notice for inspections but may provide up to 24 hours’ notice in limited cases, such as the need for the presence of certain personnel. The compliance officer informs the employer of any violations during the closing conference of the inspection then submits a compliance report to the agency's area director. The agency can take legal action if an employer refuses to admit an OSHA compliance officer. When conditions in the workplace do not meet OSHA standards, the area director issues a citation for each violation as documented by the compliance officer. These citations contain the violation, the minimum standard the employer must meet, the deadline for meeting it and the penalty for the violation. Of the six categories of violations, only de minimis violations carry no monetary penalty. A de minimis violation has no direct effect on safety or health. Other violations carry fines of $5,000 to $500,000, generally per violation. Serious violations carry a minimum penalty of $7,000 per violation, while willful violations carry a minimum of $5,000 with a cap of $70,000 per violation. The fine for a criminal conviction of a willful violation resulting in the death of an employee caps at $250,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation. Criminal penalties exist only for a willful violation resulting in the death of an employee. If convicted of criminal charges, the courts may impose a prison sentence of up to six
After viewing the OSHA Strategic Plan Slideshow, examine OSHA’s goals and strategies in measuring results. How can employers comply with OSHA standards? How can employees conform to the rules, regulations, and orders of OSHA? What happens when OSHA standards are violated? Do you feel the violation penalties/consequences are fair? Why or why not? Include a minimum of one APA cited reference to support your response.
According to the United States Department of Labor (2012), employers can comply with OSHA standards by:
Provide a workplace free from serious recognized hazards and comply with standards, rules and regulations issued under the OSHA Act.
Examine workplace conditions to make sure they conform to applicable OSHA …show more content…
OSHA has the legal authority to inspect the workplace and procedures to ensure it meets standards. It usually does not provide notice for inspections but may provide up to 24 hours’ notice in limited cases, such as the need for the presence of certain personnel. The compliance officer informs the employer of any violations during the closing conference of the inspection then submits a compliance report to the agency's area director. The agency can take legal action if an employer refuses to admit an OSHA compliance officer. When conditions in the workplace do not meet OSHA standards, the area director issues a citation for each violation as documented by the compliance officer. These citations contain the violation, the minimum standard the employer must meet, the deadline for meeting it and the penalty for the violation. Of the six categories of violations, only de minimis violations carry no monetary penalty. A de minimis violation has no direct effect on safety or health. Other violations carry fines of $5,000 to $500,000, generally per violation. Serious violations carry a minimum penalty of $7,000 per violation, while willful violations carry a minimum of $5,000 with a cap of $70,000 per violation. The fine for a criminal conviction of a willful violation resulting in the death of an employee caps at $250,000 for an individual and $500,000 for a corporation. Criminal penalties exist only for a willful violation resulting in the death of an employee. If convicted of criminal charges, the courts may impose a prison sentence of up to six