Safety Management

Employees Have Rights and Responsibilities

Employees have a variety of rights and responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the law that created OSHA and laid the groundwork for worker protection over the past three decades.

Under the law, employees have the right to:

• Request an OSHA inspection.
• Respond to OSHA compliance officer questions during an inspection.
• Have access to relevant exposure and medical records.
• Observe monitoring of hazardous materials and see the resulting records.
• File discrimination complaints if they are punished for refusing to work in imminent danger situations.

Among the responsibilities, which are often overlooked, are to:

• Follow applicable OSHA standards.
• Comply with employer safety and health requirements, including wearing personal protective equipment.
• Report hazardous conditions to management.
• Report any job-related injury or illness to the employer, and seek prompt treatment.