Question

Samuel is a massage therapist who thinks conditions in his salon are unsafe and steadily getting worse as more and more employees ignore basic aspects of safety, such as sweeping up hair clippings and disposing of chemicals properly. He thinks he might report his salon to OSHA. How should Samuel do this?

Answer 1

Samuel can file a confidential complaint with OSHA if he believes there are serious hazards or that OSHA standards are not being followed in his salon. Employers are required by law to maintain a safe workplace and notify OSHA of serious incidents. Retaliation against employees for filing complaints is illegal.

Step-by-step explanation:

Samuel, as a massage therapist concerned about unsafe working conditions in his salon, has the right to file a confidential complaint with OSHA.

If Samuel believes there is a serious hazard or that his employer is not following OSHA standards, he can request an OSHA inspection without his employer being informed of the complainant's identity. Retaliation by an employer for filing a complaint is against the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act).

Employers are legally required to provide a safe work environment, inform workers of chemical hazards, provide safety training in a language workers understand, and comply with all OSHA safety and health standards. Employers must also eliminate or reduce workplace hazards, accurately record work-related injuries and illnesses, and notify OSHA of any severe workplace incidents.

Should Samuel decide to report his concerns, he should do so by filing a confidential complaint with OSHA. He can rest assured that his identity will be protected, and he will be exercising his right to a safe workplace without the fear of retaliation.