Final answer:
The Occupation Safety and Health Act requires employers to provide a safe workplace free from recognized hazards, as enforced by OSHA. Employers must eliminate or reduce hazards, educate employees about safety, and provide personal protective equipment. OSHA conducts inspections to ensure compliance with these safety standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OHSA) mandates that employers provide a safe workplace devoid of serious recognized hazards that could result in death or severe physical injury. This legislated requirement is central to the creation and enforcement of standards by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which sets and enforces protective workplace safety and health standards. Employers must actively identify and mitigate workplace hazards, either through improvements to the work environment or the provision of personal protective equipment where necessary.
Additionally, employers are obliged to educate their employees about potential workplace hazards and how to avoid them. This involves providing safety training in a language and vocabulary the workers can understand, keeping accurate injury and illness records, and providing necessary tests and personal protective equipment at no cost. OSHA's ability to conduct inspections based on worker complaints ensures that these standards are upheld and that employers who disregard safety laws are held accountable.