Electricity mobilizes almost all aspects of modern life, both at home and on the job. Of course we’re familiar with it – comfortable even. However, it can post serious hazard in the workplace, especially for engineers, electricians, and power line works who work directly with it. Direct contact with electricity can result in shock, electrocution, and burns. And when electricity escapes its circuitry, it can cause fires and explosions.
It’s because of these dangers that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established in the ’60s to ensure and safe working conditions in the workplace. OSHA sets safety regulations and provides training, outreach, education, and assistance so workers can enforce its standards to protect themselves and their surroundings.
Health and Safety Standards
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, OSHA controls health and safety regulations. These regulations limit hazardous chemical exposure and employee access to classified information. They require the use of protective equipment and cautionary measures in case of accidents around dangerous machinery as well.
In order to guide employers and employees in avoiding hazards and developing effective plans, OSHA publishes “Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines”. The guidelines identify several crucial elements needed for a successful safety system:
- Management leadership
- Employee involvement
- Worksite Analysis
- Hazard prevention and control
- Safety and health training
The main goal of the guidelines is to provide employers, workers, and representatives with a flexible safety format which employers can adapt to any workspace. The adaptability allows companies of all sizes to use the programs to make changes where they’re needed.
The guidelines detail a proactive, inclusive plan to prevent hazardous conditions. Employers collect information about the known hazards beforehand, periodically inspect the workplace, and investigate all accidents, injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. OSHA pushes companies — employees and employers alike — to communicate trends or problems seen in order to prevent injuries.
Specifically, OSHA suggests employers take the following steps to create a safe environment:
- Create a list of hazards in order from most to least important
- Assign a trustworthy individual to implement controls on specific machines which require a steady hand
- Establish a goal end date to have all new regulations and tasks completed
- Track their company’s progress via charts, regular inspections, and employee reports
Responsibilities Under OSHA
OSHA regulations of course also list things every employer must do to ensure their workers remain safe, however. For example, employers must:
- Provide safety training to workers in cohesive languages
- Perform tests in the workplace, such as air sampling
- Display the official OSHA Job Safety and Health Law poster
- Provide personal protective equipment
- Notify OSHA within eight hours of a workplace fatality
Why OSHA Standards are Important to Our Relationship with Clients
When you choose Grounded Solutions as your electrician, you’re choosing a professional company who is proud to adhere to OSHA standards. We take safety very seriously, and are constantly reassessing our own safety practices to ensure the safety of both our employees and clients. Our licensed electricians are highly trained, skilled, and ready to take on any job – safely.
