Document yG12aeGvaDGDZdJXGQRDLbQd

2--The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 2 Technical information--Provides technical information concerning health or safety conditions at workplaces, such as the pos sible hazards of working with specific sol vents, and when to use protective equip ment 3 Accident prevention--Provides technical as sistance for controlling on-the-job inJunes including the evaluation of special prob lems and recommendations for corrective action. 4 Industrial hygiene--Provides technical as sistance m the areas of engineering and in dustrial hygiene, including the evaluation of special health-related problems m the workplace and recommendations for con trol measures. 5 Medical service--Provides assistance in solving occupational medical and nursing problems in the workplace including the assessment of existing medically related needs and the development of recom mended means for meeting such needs. The locations of the headquarters and re gional offices of NIOSH are listed m the Di rectory toward the end of this chapter Bureau of Labor Statistics The responsibility for conducting statistical surveys and establishing methods used to ac quire injury and illness data is placed m the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Questions regarding recordkeeping requirements and re porting procedures can be directed to any of the OSHA regional or area offices or the BLS regional offices The locations of the head quarters and regional offices of BLS are listed in the Directory. Major Provisions of the OSHAct Coverage Except for specific exclusions, the Act is apphcable to every employer who has one or more employees and who is engaged in a busi ness affecting commerce The law applies to all 50 states, the Distinct of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and all U S possessions Specifically excluded from coverage are all federal, state, and local government employ ees There are, however, special provisions m the Act for federal employees and potential coverage for state and local government em ployees The OSHAct is also not applicable to those operations where a federal agency (and state agencies acting under the Atomic Energy Act of 1954) other than the Department of Labor has statutory authority to prescnbe or en force standards or regulations affecting occu pational safety or health An example of this exclusion are m the operations covered by the Federal Metal and Nonmetalhc Mine Safety Act or the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act, where statutory authority is vested m the Department of the Interior OSHA clarified its interpretations of cover age with respect to certain employees by is suing a regulation It has been declared that churches and religious organizations, with respect to their rehgious activities, are not regarded as employers Likewise, persons who m their own residences employ others to perform domestic household tasks are not regarded as employers Further, any person engaged m agriculture who is a member of the immediate family of the farmer is not re garded as an employee and hence is not covered by the Act. Employer and employee duties Each employer covered by the Act 1 Has the general duty to furnish each of his employees employment and places of em ployment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or senous physical harm (this is commonly known as the "general duty clause"), and 2 Has the specific duty of complying with safety and health standards promulgated under the Act Each employee, m turn, has the duty to comply with the safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders which The regulation clarifying policy regarding "Coverage of Employees Under the WilliamsSteiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970" is contained in the Code of Federal Regu lations (CFR.), Title 29, Chapter XVII, Part 1975 24