Final answer:
WHMIS 2015 regulations, including GHS rules, ensure that workplace hazard communications are standardized, helping to maintain consistent safety information across regions. OSHA standards similarly create regulations to safeguard workers from various hazards, emphasizing the importance of both standardization and scientific basis in safety protocols.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary principle of the WHMIS 2015 regulations, which include GHS rules, is that WHMIS is Standardized. Unlike the rules of international trade, which don't require all nations to impose the same consumer safety standards, WHMIS 2015 regulations aim to provide uniform hazard communication. This harmonization helps ensure that workers across different regions and sectors have access to the same level of information regarding hazardous materials in the workplace. Additionally, the regulations must have a scientific basis and cannot discriminate unjustifiably between different countries.
Regarding workplace safety within a country, organizations such as OSHA in the United States have the authority to set and enforce standards designed to protect workers from a wide array of hazards. These standards include but are not limited to fall protection, preventing exposure to harmful substances, and requiring guarding on machines. Further, the General Duty Clause of the OSH Act obliges employers to maintain a work environment free from recognized health and safety threats, applying even when specific OSHA standards are not in place.