Chapter 7: OSHA Responsibilities for the Salon (Satisfies OSHA Requirement)
Learning objectives Given the course materials, the learner will be able to: Summarize the OSH Act mandate and discus the purpose of OSHA laws and regulations. Locate and review Code of Federal Regulations (29 CFR) referring to workplace safety and health.
Identify ergonomic hazards found within your workplace. Describe employer responsibilities mandated by OSHA. Discuss the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard.
OSHA
All employers are required to comply with OSHA standards that are applicable to their industry and comply with the General Duty Clause of the Occupational Safety Health (OSH) Act. The OSH Act mandates that employers must maintain a workplace that is free of serious recognized hazards. OSHA was created by Congress under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M. Nixon, on December 29, 1970. Since its establishment in 1971, workplace fatalities have been cut by 62%, and occupational injury and illness rates have declined 40%. Over 95% of OSHA cases reported are preventable injuries. However, the cost of non-compliance with OSHA regulations is immeasurable : √ Better labor/management relations. √ Reduced turnover. √ Better use of human resources. ● 4,679 fatal, yet preventable work injuries were reported to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries in 2014. 793 of these were linked to falls, slips, and trips. ● From October 4, 2015 to March 3, 2016, 393 catastrophes resulted in death. ● In 2014 alone, there were nearly 3.0 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets laws and regulations to guide workplace health and safety standards . Their mission is to assure safe and healthful workplaces by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, outreach, education, and assistance.
Importance of the OSH Act According to OSHA, providing workers with a safe workplace is central to their ability to enjoy health, security, and the opportunity to achieve the American dream. Addressing safety and health issues in the workplace also saves the employer money and adds value to the business. Recent estimates place the business costs associated with occupational injuries at close to $170 billion – expenditures that come straight out of company profits. When workers stay whole and healthy, the direct-cost savings to businesses include : √ Lower workers’ compensation insurance costs. √ Reduced medical expenditures. √ Smaller expenditures for return-to-work programs. √ Fewer faulty products. √ Lower costs for job accommodations for injured workers. √ Less money spent for overtime benefits. Safety and health also make big reductions in indirect costs, due to : An excess of 375,000 nail technicians work every day in salons across the nation and are exposed to multiple potential hazards in the workplace . These hazards can include chemical exposure from various salon products including glues, polishes, dyes, and chemical hair treatments, among others, and can result in a host of negative health effects, including respiratory illness, liver disease, reproductive dysfunction, skin disorders, and even cancer. However, there are other dangers that are present in the salon that can be just as serious and, in some cases, deadly. These include a high risk for infection from blood borne pathogens, communicable diseases from skin and nails, and bodily injury from repetitive motions, awkward positions, and slips and falls. Therefore, salon owners and managers must be diligent in their safety regulation. Fortunately, OSHA provides standards and responsibilities to help salon owners navigate thorough potential hazards and address them in a way that can prevent most injuries and illnesses.
√ Increased productivity. √ Higher quality products. √ Increased morale. These numbers represent the tragedy associated with non- compliance to OSHA rules and regulations. While the data shows that reported injuries and illnesses in healthcare and social assistance have declined, this is still an alarming number and indicates the importance of OSHA compliance in every organization. RECOGNIZED HAZARDS AND PENALTIES FOR THE SALON AND OTHER INDUSTRIES
In fact, OSHA employer responsibilities are important not only for managing cosmetologists, but for any salon worker. OSH law edicts employers must provide a safe workplace and dictates employer responsibilities that are legally enforceable in Florida . There are serious penalties for employers that do not maintain these OSHA standards. Aside being detrimental to an employee’s safety and health, violations can be detrimental to any salon and can result in heavy fines and even salon closures. Employers have a responsibility to provide a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm . There were multiple infractions in 2015 costing organizations penalties above $40,000. While these serious Florida violations were fortunately not discovered within the salon setting, they do provide precautionary information that can indeed apply to your salon. For example:
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Book Code: EFL1024
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