The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) requires all employers to provide a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. Enacted in 1970, the law also mandates specific guidelines for certain industries and protects workers who file whistle-blower complaints about hazardous conditions in their companies.
The “general duty” clause of the statute requires employers to provide employees with a workplace free of hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm.
Under certain circumstances, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which enforces the law, may grant you a permanent or temporary variance from an OSHA standard. To apply for a permanent variance, you need to demonstrate that you already have conditions and practices in place that provide at least as safe and healthful a workplace as those required by the OSHA standards.
If there are valid, business-related reasons why you can’t comply wit...(register to read more)
To read the rest of this article you must first register with your email address.
