Final answer:
Records of exposure incidents are primarily kept for Legal compliance with occupational health and safety regulations like those enforced by OSHA, aiding in safety training, and enabling employers to monitor and improve workplace conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Records of exposure incidents should be kept primarily for Legal compliance. Employers are mandated by various occupational health and safety regulations, such as those enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to record and report work-related injuries and illnesses. Keeping detailed records helps in providing safety training to workers, ensuring that appropriate personal protective equipment is provided at no cost to the workers, and facilitates the performance of important workplace tests, like air sampling. These records are crucial for facilitating necessary corrective actions following an incident and for compliance with legal reporting requirements, such as notifying OSHA within specific time frames about severe workplace incidents.
Moreover, accurate records aid in monitoring workplace conditions over time, thereby potentially exposing dangerous trends and allowing for timely prevention measures. Posting OSHA citations and injury and illness summary data in places where workers can see them is also a requirement under the OSH Act, enhancing workplace safety awareness.