Define Occupational Safety

Occupational safety describes the potential dangers and well-being of employees in the workplace. Any health-risk that an individual is exposed to because of their employment or at their place of employment falls under the umbrella term of occupational safety.

Federal Agencies

• In the United States, occupational safety is overseen by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, which is part of the United States Department of Labor. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is a related federal agency responsible for researching and recommending methods to avoid injuries in the workplace.

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

• The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created both the Occupational Safety & Health Administration and the NIOSH. This piece of legislation brought occupational safety to the political spotlight, and heralded a flood of federal regulations designed to protect employees at work.

Federal Statistics

• According to the United States Department of Labor home page, over a dozen workers die in preventable accidents in the work-place. Over 5,000 U.S. citizens were killed in accidents related to their jobs in 2008 alone.

Regulations

• Occupational safety regulations are designed not only to protect employees, but also their families and the local community. Occupational safety is not limited to potential physical injury, it also describes threats to an employee's mental and emotional health.

Common Threats to Occupational Safety

• There are a nearly infinite amount of potential hazards in a workplace.

  Physical hazards include: forceful impact, machinery related injury, excessive sound or light stimuli and exposure to harmful chemicals or pathogens.

  Emotional and mental hazards include: harassment (including sexual harassment), hostile social environments and work-related stress.