Most Frequently Asked Questions About OSHA

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration, also known as OSHA, is an office of the federal
government that regulates worker safety. Companies in the U.S. are required to understand and utilize the
OSHA safety standards, and work with OSHA to help create a safer workplace. By knowing the answers to
the most frequently asked questions about OSHA, a worker can better understand how OSHA helps create
safe work environment.
When Was OSHA Created?

According to OSHA, the organization was

started with the passing of the Occupational
Safety and Health act of 1970 by the U.S.
Congress. OSHA creates and enforces a wide
variety of safety regulations designed to make
workplaces safer.

What Does OSHA Do?

OSHA was created to set guidelines for

employers that will encourage safer workplaces, and to motivate employers to reduce the amount of
accidents that happen in the workplace. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970,
OSHA also enforces the workplace safety laws and regulations created by the office of the Secretary of
Labor. OSHA personally inspects workplaces and issues citations and fines to employers that do not follow
the set federal guidelines for safety.

How Does OSHA Encourage Safety?

OSHA offers training sessions to employers and employees on how to maintain workplace safety, according
to Princeton University Health and Safety Department. OSHA also offers regular trainings on how to abide
by the federal workplace safety laws, and how to properly maintain and file required federal safety
paperwork.

Can Men With Beards Legally Wear Respirators?

One of the areas that OSHA is concerned with is industrial safety and health. Protective respirators are one of
the pieces of equipment that falls under OSHA regulations, and one of the most frequently asked questions
regarding respirators is whether men with beards can legally wear respirators on a job site. According to
safety respirator manufacturer 3M, as long as the situation is not considered a safety hazard using OSHA
standards then men with beards can wear safety respirators. If OSHA regulations determine a job site to be
hazardous, then the emergency respirator must be flush with the skin and beards are not allowed.

Does OSHA Have Jurisdiction Over State Employees?

OSHA does not have the authority to regulate the work sites of state and local governments. However, each
state and local government agency must comply with their state safety laws, and those laws must be
approved by the office of the Secretary of Labor.

How Are Employees Informed of OSHA Regulations?

Aside from required OSHA safety training, employers must also display OSHA workplace poster number
2203 which outlines the basic regulations of workplace safety, according to Princeton University. Employers
must also display any OSHA violations near the point where the violation occurred.