Most employees in the construction industry have seen some form of the OSHA information poster at their job sites. According to OSHA, 21 states are allowed to post state-run OSHA posters, while the remaining states must post the federal OSHA poster. These posters must be in areas where workers can clearly see them or the employer faces stiff penalties. But what are these posters and how can they help workers?
OSHA takes worker safety very seriously.
OSHA Posters Are A Worker’s Resource
According to About Money, the OSHA posters contain all of the information a worker needs to understand their rights in the workplace and who to contact if they suspect there is an issue. Employers that do not post the OSHA poster in a place where every worker has access to it faces fines and the possibility of having their job sites shut down. State and federal governments take the OSHA posters very seriously, because they can be invaluable resources for workers.
Free To Employers
According to OSHA, these mandatory posters are free to any employer that needs them. Employers can request posters directly from the state or federal OSHA office, depending on which state they are located, or they can download the posters from the appropriate OSHA website for free.
Protecting Workers
The OSHA posters offer workers valuable information on topics such as requesting an OSHA inspection, getting proper training for working in hazardous environments, and how to bring up hazardous work conditions to employers without the fear of losing their jobs. Employees can also find out how to report an illness or injury that was work-related without fear of employer retaliation.
OSHA teaches and enforces workplace safety laws.
Employer Responsibilities
One of the newest changes to the OSHA laws is that employers must offer training on OSHA posters and present posters in the workplace in languages that every employee can understand. Diverse work environments may have several OSHA posters and offer several different OSHA poster trainings to help employees understand their rights.
The OSHA posters also help employees to understand the responsibilities of their employer when it comes to workplace incidents. For example, employers are required to use the proper channels to report any injury or illness that occurs as a result of a workplace issue. The posters not only outline the responsibilities of employers, but encourage employees to report any issues that have occurred but were not reported by employers.
In the commonwealth of Massachusetts, OSHA posters are provided by the federal government and should be visible on all construction worksites. You can take the lead in worker safety by utilizing the Massachusetts Contractors Academy to become a licensed construction supervisor.
George N Root III is a professional freelance writer who has expertise in topics such as Internet marketing, business, advertising, and personal finance.