If you employ people through your business in the U.S., you likely have to meet the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s requirements when it comes to safety training and maintaining a safe work environment.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health law, employers are required to provide a safe workplace to their employees.
What do you have to do to keep your workers safe?
Promoting workplace safety falls on your shoulders. Some of the things you will need to do for your employees include:
- Using color codes, labels, signs, and posters to warn your staff about potential hazards
- Establishing operating procedures and communicating to your staff about them to keep them safe
- Making sure that your employees have access to personal protective equipment required for the job
- Providing safety training in a language that your employee understands
- Providing medical exams and training when required
- Posting the OSHA posted in a prominent place in your workplace
- Giving your employees access to the proper tools and equipment while also training them on the right ways to maintain these items
You also need to be sure that you log any work-related injuries, report work-related deaths within eight hours, and report any work-related inpatient hospitalizations, losses of one or both eyes or amputations within 24 hours.
Some employers may be exempt from some of the OSHA requirements, so it is a good idea to talk to your attorney when you set up safety procedures in your workplace. You want to be sure you’re in compliance at all times. It’s often smart to obtain experienced legal guidance who can work with you throughout the process of building your business.
