Safety policy

Running head: HEALTH AND MEDICINE
Safety policy
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Safety policy
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), was set up with the implementation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to set and enforce standards, adequately provide for proper training, provide for outreach services, educating and offering any required assistance, towards the provision and sustenance of safe and healthful working conditions to all working men and women.
OSHA as an organization is under the Department of Labor in the United States.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers are required to ensure for the provision of working conditions free of perceivable hazards (Kwani, 2010).
The OSH Act provides for workers to place complaints if their employer or employers do not offer working conditions as required by OSHA standards or cases where likely serious dangers do arise or are likely to, prompting for OSHA officials to inspect such cases as provided for, in accordance with the OSH Act.
To adequately guarantee a safe and healthy working environment, workers have rights assured to them by OSH Act which are:
The right to seek inspection of their work place by OSHA officials;
To utilize their rights provided for under the law without fear of reprisals and prejudice;
Workers have the right to information and training in a comprehensible language on hazards, prevention methods, and OSHA standards applicable in respective workplaces;
Receive copies to results on tests carried out to assess on dangers in the workplace;
Workers have the right to examine records relating to previously encountered work place injuries and illnesses. Workers have the right to receive copies of their medical records in the possession of the employer.
OSH Act covers most employees in the USA including employers and employees in the private through Federal OSHA or OSHA accredited state programs.
For the self employed, close family member of farm employers who do not employ workers from outside a farm and workers covered by other Federal agencies are not subject to requirements of the OSH Act (Occupational Health and Safety Administration, 2010).
Paramedics and Emergency medical Services teams are in the frontline of medical response.
OSHA has a comprehensive guide formulated for employers of emergency medical services responders for the proper protection of responders that they hire.
EMS responders are tasked with providing emergency medical care and transportation to accident victims. EMS responders include EMT (Emergency Medical Technicians), paramedics, and others providing duties for the purposes of medical rescue.
The employer of Emergency medical services workers is required to plan ahead to offer workers adequate training and provide them with personal protective equipment for likely hazards at or in an accident scene. Employers are expected plan beforehand and to determine measures and action required ensuring employee safety and health, in the perceived role in emergency service provision, by pointing out possible dangers associated with employees carrying out their duties in medical response through a comprehensive emergency response plan as required by OSHA (Kwani, 2010).
It is critical for the employer to anticipate on events imaginable inn a worst case incident scenario so as to foresee possible hazards to a reasonable degree. This enables the employer to provide for emergency response plans, with EMS responders having proper PPT (personal protective equipment) and adequate training, for them to carry out their duties in this instances as provided by OSHA guidelines.
Employers are required to carry out hazard assessments to reasonably identify likely hazards related to an EMS responders’ duty.
Development of an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) reflecting the level of training and the required personal protection requirement for responders is the main role of the employer.
General safety for EMS responders’ include: To read understand and abide by all signs and labels available.
Smoke in designated areas only to minimize the risk of a fire.
Use of all provided personal equipment appropriately and carefully to take full advantage of their protection.
Do not wear loose, baggy clothing, jewelry and keep long hairs well covered near mechanical or electronic equipment to avoid being caught up by moving parts.
Ensure proper storage of all flammable material in designated storage containers or cabinets.
Be always keenly aware of the exact location of emergency and safety ...