The Society for Human Resource Management reports that each year OSHA conducts 35,000 to 45,000 job site inspections. It is important to be prepared for such an inspection at all times as well as update policies and procedures regularly.
Who is Covered:
In general, the Act covers all employers and their employees in the 50 states, the District
of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories. Coverage is provided either directly
by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or by an
OSHA-approved state job safety and health plan. Employees of the U.S. Postal Service
also are covered.
The Act defines an employer as any “person engaged in a business affecting commerce
who has employees, but does not include the United States or any state or political
subdivision of a State.” Therefore, the Act applies to employers and employees in such
varied fields as manufacturing, construction, longshoring, agriculture, law and medicine,
charity and disaster relief, organized labor and private education.
The Act does not cover:
- Self-employed persons;
- Farms which employ only immediate members of the farmer’s family;
- Industries in which other federal agencies, operating under the authority of other federal laws, regulate working conditions. This category includes most working conditions in mining, nuclear energy and nuclear weapons manufacture, and many aspects of the transportation industries;
- Employees of state and local governments, unless they are in one of the states with OSHA-approved safety and health plans.
During OSHA inspections all employees are subject to review, as such it is necessary to instruct everyone on the required policies and procedures. Providing written instructions in easily accessible places is also important. More information on OSHA requirements can be found at the Department of Labor website. To access more information on these and other HR related issues, join HRSentry.