As an employee, you have the rights to a safe and healthy work environment and premier occupational health and safety laws exist to protect you from harm while working in EHS.
But what exactly are they? Occupational health and safety laws cover areas such as exposure to toxic chemicals, extreme temperatures, loud noises, and other workplace hazards. They establish limits for exposure to harmful agents and require safety measures like protective equipment, training, and warning labels.
Knowing your responsibilities under occupational health and safety laws can help make sure you have a productive career in a safe working environment. Educating yourself on these laws is an important step toward protecting your own and your co-workers’ health, safety, and well-being. Together, we can work to promote safer and healthier workplaces for all.
Safety in the Workplace: An Overview of Health and Safety Laws
Under occupational health and safety laws, businesses must implement certain precautions and procedures to minimize risks and hazards.
Safety Standards and Compliance
Businesses must comply with federal and state safety standards related to their industry. This includes providing protective equipment like helmets, goggles, gloves, and steel-toed boots. Workplaces must also have clearly marked exit signs, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and first aid kits available.
Regular safety inspections and audits should be conducted to identify any potential hazards, and these evaluations should examine equipment, workspaces, ventilation, lighting, and all areas where employees frequently work.
Proper Training
Employers must provide health and safety training for all employees to ensure they understand risks and follow the correct procedures. Training should cover emergency response plans, proper handling/storage of hazardous materials, use of safety equipment, and safe work practices. Staff should also be retrained periodically and when new equipment or processes are introduced.
Health and Safety Awareness Training: Why It’s Important and How to Get Started
Occupational health and safety awareness training is essential for any organization because it helps ensure employees understand workplace hazards and how to mitigate them. Getting started with a training program is easy if you follow a few key steps:
Identify relevant health and safety topics.
Review workplace regulations and policies to determine mandatory training needs. Look for other topics important to your organization like ergonomics, workplace violence, or emergency preparedness.
Choose appropriate training methods.
Options include in-person workshops, e-learning courses, videos, job aids, and more. Select methods that suit your needs and learning objectives, for example: E-learning and videos are useful for common or routine topics but in-person training is better for complex situations or those requiring hands-on practice.
Source training content.
At Training Que, we offer a range of programs and courses that are designed especially for EHS professionals. You can find courses on Environmental Regulations and Compliance, Ergonomics, Workplace Safety, and more.
Schedule and promote training.
Inform employees of mandatory training needs and dates. If the training is online, which is what we offer at Training Que, then schedule days to discuss the training objectives and content.
Track and evaluate program success.
Monitor which employees have completed training and gage the effectiveness of different training methods through tests, surveys, or audits. Look for ways to continuously improve your program.
Conclusion
As an employee, you have certain rights to a safe work environment under occupational health and safety laws. However, you also have certain responsibilities to follow proper safety procedures and use protective equipment as required. Understanding both your rights and responsibilities in this area is important for any employee.
If you feel your safety is being compromised at work or proper precautions are not being taken, do not hesitate to report issues to HR or management. Your health and wellbeing should be a top priority, so make sure to stay up to date with all laws and policies at your workplace regarding premier occupational health and safety. Following the rules and speaking up if needed will help ensure you go home safe and healthy at the end of each workday.
