The Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA)
Job Safety and Health
All workers have the right to:
A safe workplace
Raise a safety or health concern with your employer or OSHA, or report a work-related injury or illness, without being retaliated against.
Receive information and training on job hazards, including all hazardous substances in your workplace. See SDS and chemical storage compliance below.
Request a confidential OSHA inspection of your workplace if you believe there are unsafe or unhealthy conditions. You have the right to have a representative contact OSHA on your behalf.
Participate (or have your representative participate) in an OSHA inspection and speak in private to the inspector.
File a complaint with OSHA within 30 days (by phone, online, or by mail) if you have been retaliated against for using your rights.
See any OSHA citations issued to your employer.
Request copies of your medical records, tests that measure hazards in the workplace, and the workplace injury and illness log.
Employers must:
Provide employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards. It is illegal to retaliate against an employee for using any of their rights under the law, including raising a health and safety concern with you or with OSHA or reporting a work-related injury or illness.
Comply with all applicable OSHA standards.
Notify OSHA within 8 hours of a workplace fatality or within 24 hours of any work-related in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye.
Provide required training to all staff in language and vocabulary they can understand.
Prominently display an OSHA regulation poster in the workplace.
Post OSHA citations at or near the place of the alleged violations.
*On-site consultation services are available to small and medium-sized employers, without citation or penalty, through OSHA-supported consultation programs in every state.
Storage of Chemicals
Chemicals should be stored in a designated area where they cannot contaminate or spill onto foods, linens, dishes, utensils, food equipment or any food contact surfaces. Many chemical manufacturers recommend that chemicals be stored in a cool, dry location. The product label should be reviewed for specific storage instructions. Chemicals must always be stored at least 6” off the floor and in containers that clearly identify their chemical contents.
Chemical Usage and Safety
It is important to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using chemicals to clean or sanitize. Cleaners and sanitizers will be most effective when used at concentrations and temperatures specified by the chemical manufacturer. This information can usually be found on the product label. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that this information be available to employees at all times. To satisfy this requirement, chemical manufacturers produce Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
The Safety Data Sheets contain:
The manufacturer’s contact information
Physical and chemical properties of the product
Information about the safe use and handling of material
Fire, explosion, reactivity, and health hazard information
Information about personal protective equipment that may be needed
Emergency procedures and first aid
The date the SDS was prepared
In addition, OSHA requires that all employees be trained about the chemicals used in the facility. This training should include the safe use of the chemicals, any hazards associated with the chemicals, the location of the SDS binder, and how to read an SDS sheet. The person in charge should have a written plan that describes chemical storage and labeling, as well as documented employee safety training on the proper use of those chemicals. A written record should also be kept of the employees who have received the training and the date it was given.
