Occupational Safety and Health Act: Who Qualifies and What You Get
Understand your responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, including workplace design and required risk assessments.
This act establishes the legal framework for maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for everyone in the workplace.
Who it's for
This act applies to all employers and anyone who is self-employed. If you run a business or work for yourself, you are responsible for following these safety standards to protect yourself and anyone else working within your business space.
What you get
The act provides specific guidelines to help you design and maintain a safe workplace. These standards focus on the physical environment to ensure it is fit for purpose. This includes requirements for proper lighting to prevent eye strain or accidents, and adequate ventilation to ensure the air quality remains safe for you and your clients or employees. By following these guidelines, you ensure that the fundamental physical aspects of your workspace meet health and safety expectations.
What it costs you
There is no direct monetary fee to follow this act, but it does require a significant investment of your time. You are required to perform a Gefährdungsbeurteilung, which is a formal risk assessment. This process involves carefully reviewing your workspace, identifying potential hazards, and determining the necessary steps to mitigate those risks to ensure everyone stays safe.
The catch to know
The most important thing to remember is that simply identifying hazards is not enough. The risk assessment (Gefährdungsbeurteilung) must be documented in writing. You must keep these written records organized and available, as government inspectors will ask to see your documentation to prove that you have properly assessed and managed the risks in your specific work environment.
How to apply
- Review your workspace to identify any physical or environmental hazards.
- Conduct a formal risk assessment, known as a Gefährdungsbeurteilung.
- Create a written document that records your findings and the steps you have taken to ensure safety.
- Keep these written records available to present to authorities if requested.