Final answer:
OSHA standards emphasize education and awareness as key to reducing workplace violence and physical harm. Employers must provide a safe working environment, eliminate hazards, and educate employees about risks using language they understand.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes standards that aim to keep workplaces safe and prevent physical harm to workers. It is understood that workers who are educated about workplace safety are less likely to become victims of workplace violence.
Employers are required by law to provide a safe environment, eliminate hazards, and inform workers about potential risks. Additionally, OSHA sets explicit regulations for various work environments to protect employees from dangers such as falls, cave-ins, exposure to infectious diseases, chemicals, and other serious hazards.
Employers must provide safety training in a language and vocabulary that their workers can understand, keep accurate records of work-related injuries, perform required workplace tests, and provide necessary personal protective equipment without cost to the workers.
This proactive approach to safety extends to providing medical tests when mandated by OSHA standards and notifying OSHA of any severe workplace incidents.
By ensuring employees are aware of and understand the potential hazards at their workplace, OSHA helps to create an environment where trained and informed workers are better equipped to handle potential risks safely, thus reducing the incidence of workplace violence and other physical harm.