Safe Working Conditions: Purpose & Concept

Contributors: Christian Killian, Andrea Rea

Learn more about safe working environment standards and how OSHA helps promote these working
conditions. Review examples of safe and unsafe working conditions.

Table of Contents

 Definition of Safety in the Workplace

 Safety Standards for a Safe Working Environment

 Examples of Unsafe Working Conditions

 Examples of Safe Working Conditions

Show more

Definition of Safety in the Workplace

Safety in the workplace is an essential responsibility of employers in the United States and is
governed by guidelines meant to create an environment that prioritizes the safety and health of
all employees, management, visitors, and contractors. In the United States, over 5000 workers
lost their lives while working in 2019, which is an average of 100 per week or 15 per day. Many
of these deaths could have been prevented with proper safety enforcement.

Safety Standards for a Safe Working Environment

Common safety standards can vary between industries, though they typically boil down to
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and machine procedures. Some examples of safety
equipment include:

Hard hats

Safety goggles

Cut-resistant gloves

Steel-toe or composite-toe boots

Face shields

Reflective vests

Working in an office or other relatively low-risk environment doesn't absolve one from safe
working practices. For example, there are safety guidelines about extension cords becoming a
trip hazard, acceptable noise decimal levels, and proper lifting techniques. Even using a
stepladder requires training and proper safety inspection. All doors must be labeled if they are
 p q g p p y p y
not an exit, and all exit doors must use uniform signs that can be visible in the event of an
emergency evacuation.

OSHA Safety Standards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is part of the U.S. Department of
Labor and is responsible for enforcing the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. OSHA
develops safety standards, conducts on-site inspections, and imposes fines for violations. Some
common (industry general) standards are as follows:

Cleanliness

Ladder use

Emergency Access Plan (EAP)

Fire extinguishers

Safety Data Sheets (SDS)

Safety equipment, or PPE

Fall protection

Machine guards

Training for dangerous jobs

OSHA enforces these guidelines by performing inspections and fining employers who do not
comply. For 2022, fines start at $14,000 per violation and can increase to $150,000 with willful or
repeated violations. Since the Occupational Safety and Health Act was implemented in 1970,
worker deaths in the U.S. have halved from 38 per day to 15 per day. Non-fatal incidents went
from 10.9 per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.8 per 100 in 2019.

Safety Inspections

Safety inspections periodically check procedures and equipment for safety guideline
compliance. They can be internal, where the employer's own safety manager conducts the
inspection, or external, where OSHA conducts it. Internal inspections include monthly fire
extinguisher and ladder inspections, along with any machinery the employees use. An external
inspection by OSHA covers their entire regulation list and usually occurs if there has been a
complaint or a reported injury.

While violations found during internal inspections usually don't have legal consequences, OSHA
may not be as forgiving. If it is the first offense and not very serious, like exit signs, they may
give the employer a chance to correct it before an unannounced follow-up visit. More willful
violations, such as an employee not wearing the correct PPE for their job, can result in fines
right away.
Worker's Compensation Laws and Rights

Worker's Compensation Laws and Rights are guidelines decided by the United States
Department of Labor and enforced at the state level. These rights provide the following benefits
to employees who are injured at work:

Income continuation

Medical treatment

Vocational rehabilitation

There are also death benefits available to surviving family members of employees who lost their
lives on the job.

These laws have been around since the 1920s to protect workers who are hurt on the job.
Worker's compensation benefits do not depend on who was to blame for the accident, so an
employee can claim these benefits regardless of who is at fault. However, there are some
exceptions in cases of intentionally self-inflicted injuries and those caused by intoxication on the
job.

Examples of Unsafe Working Conditions

Examples of unsafe working conditions include:

Water anywhere on the floor without a "Wet Floor" sign. Someone could slip and fall.

An extension cable running across a high-traffic walkway. Someone could trip and fall.

Debris blocking a door marked as an exit. In an emergency, this exit would be inaccessible.

A non-working piece of machinery without a locked tag. Someone might try to use this equipment.

Dusty or dirty PPE. Employees may get rashes or infections.

Doors not labeled properly. Employees may not know how to exit the building in an emergency.

Examples of Safe Working Conditions

Wet floor sign next to any wet floor

Extension cable posted above the walkway or plugged in elsewhere

Clear path to all Exit doors

Non-working machines are locked and tagged out

Clean, accessible PPE

All doors labeled Exit or otherwise

How to Create a Safe Working Environment

A good way to create a safe working environment is to have a safety team within the company
A good way to create a safe working environment is to have a safety team within the company
to do inspections and make sure guidelines are being followed. This team can be made up of
members of all departments who are able to assess their own areas and meet monthly or
biweekly to go over their findings in comparison with OSHA guidelines. While employers are

responsible for providing a safe environment, it is incumbent on employees to practice safe

working skills. All employees should be properly trained on safety procedures and instructed to
contact their supervisor if anything seems awry.

Lesson Summary
Safety in the workplace is an essential responsibility of employers in the United States and is
governed by guidelines meant to create an environment that prioritizes the safety and health of
all employees, management, visitors, and contractors. Common safety standard requirements
usually include Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and machine procedures. The
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created to enforce the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Some common safety standard requirements
outlined by OSHA are safety equipment, PPE, fall protection, machine guards, and training for
dangerous jobs. The administration is capable of developing safety regulations, conducting on-
site inspections, and imposing fines for violations. Workplace injuries have gone down
considerably since the implementation of OSHA.

Workers Compensation Laws and Rights are guidelines about benefits given to employees
who are hurt on the job, These benefits include income continuation, medical treatment,
vocational rehabilitation, and death benefits when applicable. Worker's compensation, while
enforced at the federal level, is administered at the state level. These laws have been around
since the 1920s. An internal safety team within a company can be created to perform internal
safety inspections and uphold safe working conditions. This team can be made up of
representatives from each department and may meet periodically and review OSHA guidelines
to make sure relevant guidelines are being followed.

Video Transcript

OSHA & Safety Standards

Each year almost three out of every 100 workers will suffer a workplace injury or illness serious
enough for them to miss work. That amounts to millions of workplace injuries, countless lost
days of work, and billions of dollars every year. Even worse, in 2011 alone, more 4,600 workers
were killed on the job. That equals almost 90 workers a week or nearly 13 deaths on the job
every day. Given those staggering figures, it's no surprise that the issue of workplace safety is so
important for both workers and their employers.

There are many laws governing workplace safety at virtually every level of government, from
national and state regulations to local ordinances. These laws are designed to protect
employees from unsafe or unhealthy working conditions. The purpose is to reduce the risk of
id li j d h di i h k l S l i f d d
accidental injury, death, or disease in the workplace. Some regulations govern safety standards
in specific industries that tend to pose more danger, such as coal mining and railroads. For most
workers there are two important sources of workplace safety laws: the Occupational Safety and
Health Act (OSHA) at the federal level and various workers' compensation laws at the state level.

OSHA
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for
providing a safe and healthy work environment. The Act requires employers to comply with
specific occupational safety and health standards and to keep records of occupational injuries
and illnesses. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal
agency responsible for enforcing the Act. OSHA develops and enforces safety standards, and
provides training, outreach, education, and assistance. OSHA has the power to conduct on-site
inspections, issue citations, and levy penalties against employers for violations.

Safety Standards

OSHA standards are rules that describe the methods that employers must use to protect their
employees from hazards. There are standards designed for specific industries such as
construction work, agriculture, and maritime operations, and general industry standards that
apply to most other worksites. The standards limit the amount of hazardous chemicals workers
can be exposed to, require the use of certain safety practices and equipment, and require
employers to monitor hazards and keep records of workplace injuries and illnesses.

Examples of OSHA standards include requirements to provide fall protection, prevent exposure
to harmful substances like asbestos, put guards on machines, provide respirators or other
safety equipment, and provide training for certain dangerous jobs.

Inspections and Safer Working Conditions

OSHA has the power to conduct workplace inspections to make sure that employers are
complying with OSHA standards. Workers may file a complaint to have OSHA inspect their
workplace if they believe their employer is not following OSHA standards or that there are
serious hazards. OSHA inspectors have the right to enter a workplace without notice to examine
the work environment, inspect equipment and materials, and to ask questions of employees
and management.

Penalties for violations of OSHA standards may include citations, criminal penalties, or
substantial fines. These fines can range from no fine for minor violations to several millions of
dollars for companies guilty of multiple, repeated, or particularly egregious infractions. Some
company executives have even spent time in jail for recklessly endangering workers.

The good news is that occupational safety laws are working. Workplace injuries and deaths have
dropped dramatically in the past few decades. Since 1970, workplace fatalities have dropped by
more than 65%, and occupational injury and illness rates have declined by 67%. Deaths are
down from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 13 a day in 2011 Worker injuries and
down from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 13 a day in 2011. Worker injuries and
illnesses are also down from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to fewer than 4 per 100 in
2010.

Workers' Compensation
Workers' compensation is a program that provides medical care, income continuation, and
rehabilitation for workers who sustain injuries or illness on the job. Death benefits are also
available for family members of workers who suffer work-related deaths.

Workers' compensation is administered by the states and governed by state law. The majority of
states require workers' compensation for nearly all workers, including part-time employees.
Even nonprofit corporations, unincorporated businesses, and employers with only one
employee must comply with the requirements.

Programs differ from state to state, and sometimes not every worker is eligible. Some
employees may be covered by other compensation laws, including federal civilian employees,
railroad workers, longshoremen, shipyard, and harbor workers. Other groups who may not be
covered include volunteer workers, agricultural laborers, casual employees, and domestic
workers. Workers compensation is optional in only a few states.

Workers' compensation programs are designed to provide a no-fault remedy for workers who
are injured on the job. No fault means that benefits are not dependent on who was to blame for
the accident. Even workers who were at fault for their accident can collect. There are some
limitations, however. Generally, employees can't collect benefits for intentionally self-inflicted
injuries or those caused by intoxication or illegal activity such as illicit drug use. In exchange for
collecting benefits, the employee gives up the right to sue his or her employer for the same
injury. The no-fault system benefits workers and protects employers from numerous lawsuits
and unpredictable awards for workplace injuries.

Social Responsibility
In addition to the legally mandated requirements, workplace safety is an important issue of
social responsibility for companies. Managers have a social and moral responsibility not to
sacrifice employee health and safety in the pursuit of profits. A workplace culture that places a
greater value on productivity or cost cutting over the safety of its people can face big problems.

In addition to being the right thing to do for workers, failing to ensure safe working conditions
can have a big impact on the bottom line. The consequences of these decisions can be more far
reaching than lost work days and mounting liability, including loss of employee morale, mistrust
of management, damage to the company's reputation, or worse, serious injury or death. In any
successful organization, workplace safety that exceeds the minimum standards required by law
is a top priority for management that serves the best interest of the company and its people.

Lesson Summary
Let's recap. As a result of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are
responsible for providing a safe and healthy work environment. The Occupational Safety and
Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the Act, and it
develops and enforces safety standards, and provides training, outreach, education, and
assistance. Occupational safety laws have dramatically lowered workplace injuries since 1970.

Workers' compensation is a program offered at the state level that provides employees with
medical care, income continuation, and rehabilitation for injuries sustained on the job.
Additionally, workers' compensation programs are designed to provide a no-fault remedy,
meaning that benefits are not dependent on who was to blame for the accident.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the key for a safe work environment?

A safe work environment follows all Occupational Safety and Health Administration
guidelines. Every manager and employee should be aware of how to do their job safely and
who to report to when there are unsafe conditions.

How do you keep a safe working environment?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration lists industry-specific and general
workplace safety standards. Continue to review these standards to see if safety glasses,
hard hats, hand washing, or other equipment and steps are required for your workplace.

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