OSH ACT AND OSHA STANDARDS

OSH Act Coverage - Federal Employee Provisions

According to the OSH Act, federal agency heads are responsible for providing safe and healthful working conditions for their employees. The OSH Act requires agencies to comply with standards consistent with those OSHA issues for private sector employers. OSHA conducts federal workplace inspections in response to employees' reports of hazards and as part of a special program which identifies federal workplaces with higher than average rates of injuries and illnesses.

Federal agency heads are required to operate comprehensive occupational safety and health programs that include:

Recording and analyzing injury/illness data

Providing training to all personnel

Conducting self-inspections to ensure compliance with OSHA standards.

OSHA conducts comprehensive evaluations of these programs to assess their effectiveness.

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