Question

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) performs six major functions. In your own words, briefly explain these responsibilities.

OSHA may issue four different types of citations. What are these different citations, and briefly explain the differences between each?

Answer 1

Six major functions of OSHA are

1-Assuring safety and health of workers at their workplace with in the geographical territory of USA.

2-Consultation with all the key stakeholders for preventing occupational injuries and illnesses. OSHA has mandate to consult with all the key stakeholders like employers, employees, and representative organizations and advise them for making effective policy on injuries and illness.

3- It has also right to inspect any workplace in USA to verify and assess whether all the safety standards are complying by the employer or not.

4-In catastrophic effect, OSHA should respond accordingly to mitigate the event.

5- To look after the workers who effected by terrorist events and their illness and safety measures

6- To oversight workers in other workplaces that were not contaminated or directly involved, but who may require assistance due to concerns or issues that may arise from the catastrophic incident.

Four citations issued by OSHA are

1-Willful- When an employer deliberately violate the provision of OSHA in regards to safety and health of workers.

2-Serious- When there is probability that death or serious health concern of an employee may occured due to prevalent structure or conditions in the workplace which an employer should check and fixed immediately.

3-De-minimus- When an employer implement a strategy different from that of provided by OSHA guideline which has not any direct and immediate relationship with safety and health of the employees.

4-Repeated- When an employer repeatedly violate the provision of the OSHA which has been cited 5 years before also.