Workers’ Rights

OSHA 3021-09R 2014
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

“To assure safe and healthful working 

conditions for working men and women; 

by authorizing enforcement of the 

standards developed under the Act; by 

assisting and encouraging the States in 

their efforts to assure safe and healthful 

working conditions; by providing for 

research, information, education, and 

training in the field of occupational safety 

and health...”

This publication provides a general 

overview of worker rights under the 

Occupational Safety and Health Act 

(OSH Act). This publication does not alter 

or determine compliance responsibilities 

which are set forth in OSHA standards 

and the OSH Act. Moreover, because 

interpretations and enforcement policy 

may change over time, for additional 

guidance on OSHA compliance 

requirements the reader should consult 

current administrative interpretations 

and decisions by the Occupational 

Safety and Health Review Commission 

and the courts.

This document, Workers’ Rights, replaces 

Employee Workplace Rights. 

Material contained in this publication 

is in the public domain and may be 

reproduced, fully or partially, without 

permission. Source credit is requested 

but not required.

This information will be made available 

to sensory-impaired individuals upon 

request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: 1-877-889-5627. 
Workers’ Rights

U.S. Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

OSHA 3021-09R 2014
Contents

Introduction 3

Worker Protection is the Law of the Land 3

Workers’ Rights under the OSH Act 3

Employer Responsibilities 4

Who Does OSHA Cover 5

Private Sector Workers 5

State and Local Government Workers 5

Federal Government Workers 5

Not Covered under the OSH Act 6

Worker Rights in State-Plan States 6

Right to a Safe and Healthful Workplace 7

Employers’ “General Duty” 7

OSHA Standards: Protection on the Job 7

Right to be Provided Protective Equipment 

Free of Charge 8

Right to Information 8

OSHA Worksite Investigations 10

Right to File a Complaint with OSHA to Request 

an On-site OSHA Inspection 11

Rights of Workers during an Inspection 12

Workers’ Rights following Issuance of Citations 13

Right to Information If No Inspection is Conducted 

or No Citation Issued 14

Right to Use Your Rights: 

Protection against Retaliation

Whistleblower Protection 14

If There is a Dangerous Situation at Work 16

Additional Whistleblower Protections 16

OSHA Assistance, Services and Programs 21

Establishing an Injury and Illness Prevention Program 21

Compliance Assistance Specialists 22

Free On-site Safety and Health Consultation

Services for Small Business 22

Cooperative Programs 23

Occupational Safety and Health Training 24

OSHA Educational Materials 24

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program 25

How to Contact OSHA 26

OSHA Regional Offices 27

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

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Introduction

Worker Protection is the Law of the Land

You have the right to a safe workplace. The 

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH 

Act) was passed to prevent workers from being 

killed or otherwise harmed at work. The law requires 

employers to provide their employees with working 

conditions that are free of known dangers. The OSH 

Act created the Occupational Safety and Health 

Administration (OSHA), which sets and enforces 

protective workplace safety and health standards. 

OSHA also provides information, training and 

assistance to employers and workers. 

Contact us if you have questions or want to file a 

complaint. We will keep your information confidential. 

We are here to help you.

Workers’ Rights under the OSH Act

The OSH Act gives workers the right to safe and 

healthful working conditions. It is the duty of 

employers to provide workplaces that are free of 

known dangers that could harm their employees. 

This law also gives workers important rights to 

participate in activities to ensure their protection from 

job hazards. This booklet explains workers’ rights to: 

n File a confidential complaint with OSHA to have 

their workplace inspected. 

n Receive information and training about hazards, 

methods to prevent harm, and the OSHA standards 

that apply to their workplace. The training must be 

done in a language and vocabulary workers can 

understand.

n Review records of work-related injuries and 

illnesses that occur in their workplace.

n Receive copies of the results from tests and 

monitoring done to find and measure hazards in 

the workplace.

n Get copies of their workplace medical records.

n Participate in an OSHA inspection and speak in 

private with the inspector. 

n File a complaint with OSHA if they have been 

retaliated against by their employer as the result of 

requesting an inspection or using any of their other 

rights under the OSH Act. 

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n File a complaint if punished or retaliated against for 

acting as a “whistleblower” under the additional 21 

federal statutes for which OSHA has jurisdiction.

A job must be safe or it cannot be called a good 

job. OSHA strives to make sure that every worker in 

the nation goes home unharmed at the end of the 

workday, the most important right of all.

Employer Responsibilities

Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe 

workplace. Employers MUST provide their employees 

with a workplace that does not have serious hazards 

and must follow all OSHA safety and health standards.

Employers must find and correct safety and health 

problems. OSHA further requires that employers must 

try to eliminate or reduce hazards first by making 

feasible changes in working conditions – switching to 

safer chemicals, enclosing processes to trap harmful 

fumes, or using ventilation systems to clean the air are 

examples of effective ways to get rid of or minimize 

risks – rather than just relying on personal protective 

equipment such as masks, gloves, or earplugs. 

Employers MUST also:

n Prominently display the official OSHA poster 

that describes rights and responsibilities under 

the OSH Act. This poster is free and can be 

downloaded from www.osha.gov.

n Inform workers about hazards through training, 

labels, alarms, color-coded systems, chemical 

information sheets and other methods.

n Train workers in a language and vocabulary they 

can understand. 

n Keep accurate records of work-related injuries and 

illnesses. 

n Perform tests in the workplace, such as air 

sampling, required by some OSHA standards. 

n Provide hearing exams or other medical tests 

required by OSHA standards. 

n Post OSHA citations and injury and illness data 

where workers can see them. 

n As of January 1, 2015, notify OSHA within 8 hours 

of a workplace fatality or within 24 hours of any 

work-related inpatient hospitalization, amputation 

or loss of an eye.

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n Not retaliate against workers for using their rights 

under the law, including their right to report a 

work-related injury or illness.

Who Does OSHA Cover

Private Sector Workers

Most employees in the nation come under OSHA’s 

jurisdiction. OSHA covers most private sector 

employers and employees in all 50 states, the District 

of Columbia, and other U.S. jurisdictions either 

directly through Federal OSHA or through an OSHAapproved state plan. State-run health and safety plans

must be at least as effective as the Federal OSHA 

program. To find the contact information for the 

OSHA Federal or State Program office nearest you, 

call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or go to www.osha.gov.

State and Local Government Workers

Employees who work for state and local governments 

are not covered by Federal OSHA, but have OSH Act 

protections if they work in those states that have an 

OSHA-approved state plan. The following 22 states or 

territories have OSHA-approved programs: 

Alaska Arizona California 

Hawaii Indiana Iowa

Kentucky Maryland Michigan 

Minnesota Nevada New Mexico 

North Carolina Oregon South Carolina 

Tennessee Utah Vermont 

Virginia Washington Wyoming

Puerto Rico 

Four additional states and one U.S. territory have 

OSHA-approved plans that cover public sector 

workers only: 

Connecticut Illinois New Jersey 

New York Virgin Islands

Private sector workers in these four states and the 

Virgin Islands are covered by Federal OSHA.

Federal Government Workers

Federal agencies must have a safety and health 

program that meets the same standards as private 

employers. Although OSHA does not fine federal 

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agencies, it does monitor federal agencies and 

responds to workers’ complaints. The United States 

Postal Service (USPS) is covered by OSHA.

Not Covered under the OSH Act

n Self-employed; 

n Immediate family members of farm employers; and

n Workplace hazards regulated by another federal 

agency (for example, the Mine Safety and Health 

Administration, the Department of Energy, or 

Coast Guard).

HI

CA NV

AZ

ID

OR

WA

AK

WY

MT

UT

NM

CO

TX

OK

KS

NE

SD

ND

MN

WI

IA

MI

IN IL

MO

AR

LA

MS AL GA

FL

OH

PA

NY

ME

NH VT

MA

WV

CT RI

NJ

MD

VA DC

DE

KY

TN

NC

SC

PR

VI

OSHA-approved state plans (private sector and 

public employees)

Federal OSHA (private sector and most federal employees)

OSHA-approved state plans (for public employees only;

private sector employees are covered by Federal OSHA)

OSHA-Approved State Plans

Worker Rights in State-Plan States

States that assume responsibility for their own 

occupational safety and health programs must have 

provisions at least as effective as Federal OSHA’s, 

including the protection of worker rights.

Any interested person or group, including 

employees, with a complaint concerning the 

operation or administration of a state program 

may submit a complaint to the appropriate Federal 

OSHA regional administrator. (See contact list at 

the end of this booklet). This is called a Complaint 

About State Program Administration (CASPA). The 

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complaintant’s name will be kept confidential. The 

OSHA regional administrator will investigate all 

such complaints, and where complaints are found 

to be valid, require appropriate corrective action on 

the part of the state.

Right to a Safe and Healthful 

Workplace

Employers’ “General Duty”

Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe 

and healthful workplace that is free from serious 

recognized hazards. This is commonly known as the 

General Duty Clause of the OSH Act. 

OSHA Standards: Protection on the Job

OSHA standards are rules that describe the 

methods that employers must use to protect their 

employees from hazards. There are four groups of 

OSHA standards: General Industry, Construction, 

Maritime, and Agriculture. (General Industry is the 

set that applies to the largest number of workers and 

worksites). These standards are designed to protect 

workers from a wide range of hazards. 

These standards also limit the amount of hazardous 

chemicals, substances, or noise that workers can 

be exposed to; require the use of certain safe work 

practices and equipment; and require employers 

to monitor certain hazards and keep records of 

workplace injuries and illnesses. 

Examples of OSHA standards include requirements to:

n Provide fall protection, such as a safety harness 

and lifeline;

n Prevent trenching cave-ins;

n Ensure the safety of workers who enter confined 

spaces such as manholes or grain bins;

n Prevent exposure to high levels of noise that can 

damage hearing;

n Put guards on machines;

n Prevent exposure to harmful levels of substances 

like asbestos and lead;

n Provide workers with respirators and other needed 

safety equipment (in almost all cases, free of charge); 

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n Provide healthcare workers with needles and sharp 

instruments that have built-in safety features to 

prevent skin punctures or cuts that could cause 

exposure to infectious diseases; and

n Train workers using a language and vocabulary 

they understand about hazards and how to protect 

themselves.

Employers must also comply with the General 

Duty Clause of the OSH Act. This clause requires 

employers to keep their workplaces free of serious 

recognized hazards and is generally cited when no 

specific OSHA standard applies to the hazard.

Right to be Provided Protective Equipment 

Free of Charge

In some situations it is not possible to completely 

eliminate a hazard or reduce exposures to a safe 

level, so respirators, goggles, earplugs, gloves, or 

other types of personal protective equipment are 

often used by themselves or in addition to other 

hazard control measures. Employers must provide 

most protective equipment free of charge. Employers 

are responsible for knowing when protective 

equipment is needed.

Right to Information

OSHA gives workers and their representatives the right 

to see information that employers collect on hazards 

in the workplace. Workers have the right to know 

what hazards are present in the workplace and how 

to protect themselves. Many OSHA standards require 

various methods that employers must use to inform 

their employees, such as warning signs, color-coding, 

signals, and training. Workers must receive their 

normal rate of pay to attend training that is required by 

OSHA standards and rules. The training must be in a 

language and vocabulary that workers can understand. 

Right to Know about Chemical Hazards

The Hazard Communication standard, known as the 

“right-to-know” standard, requires employers to 

inform and train workers about hazardous chemicals 

and substances in the workplace. Employers must:

n Provide workers with effective information and 

training on hazardous chemicals in their work area. 

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This training must be in a language and vocabulary 

that workers can understand;

n Keep a current list of hazardous chemicals that are 

in the workplace;

n Make sure that hazardous chemical containers are 

properly labeled with the identity of the hazardous 

chemical and appropriate hazard warnings; and

n Have and make available to workers and their 

representatives Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) 

(formerly known as Material Safety Data Sheets 

or MSDSs) for each substance that provide 

detailed information about chemical hazards, their 

effects, how to prevent exposure, and emergency 

treatment if an exposure occurs.

Right to Know about Laws and Your Rights

Employers must display the official OSHA Poster, 

Job Safety and Health: It’s the Law, in a place where 

workers will see it. It can be downloaded from the 

OSHA website, www.osha.gov. Pre-printed copies 

can also be obtained from OSHA. 

Right to Get Copies of Workplace 

Injury and Illness Records

OSHA’s Recordkeeping Rule requires employers in 

higher-hazard industries with more than ten employees 

to keep accurate and complete records of workrelated injuries and illnesses. (Certain low-hazard 

workplaces such as offices are not required to keep 

such records). Employers must record any serious 

work-related injury or illness on the OSHA Form 

300. A serious injury or illness is one that required 

medical treatment other than first aid, restricted work 

or days away from work. (Details of each incident are 

entered on a separate form, the OSHA Form 301). 

This OSHA Form 300 becomes an ongoing log of 

all recordable incidents. Each year from February 1 

through April 30, employers must post a summary 

of the injury and illness log from the previous year 

(OSHA Form 300A) in a place where workers can 

see it. Workers and their representatives have the 

right to receive copies of the full OSHA Form 300 log. 

Following a request, employers must make copies 

available at the end of the next business day.

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These injury and illness logs are important because 

they provide a comprehensive guide to possible 

hazards in the workplace that may need correcting. 

The logs should be used to focus on areas with high 

injury and illness rates, and to find and fix hazards in 

order to prevent future occurrences.

Right to Exposure Data

Many OSHA standards require employers to run 

tests of the workplace environment to find out if 

their workers are being exposed to harmful levels of 

hazardous substances such as lead or asbestos, or 

high levels of noise or radiation. These types of tests 

are called exposure monitoring. OSHA gives workers 

the right to get the results of these tests.

Right to Your Medical Records

Some OSHA standards require medical tests to find 

out if a worker’s health has been affected because of 

exposures at work. For example, employers must test 

for hearing loss in workers exposed to excessive noise 

or for decreased lung function in workers exposed 

to asbestos. Workers have a right to their medical 

records. Workers’ representatives also have a right to 

review these records but they must first get written 

permission from the worker to gain access to their 

medical information. 

OSHA Worksite Investigations

OSHA conducts on-site inspections of worksites to 

enforce the OSHA law that protects workers and 

their rights. Inspections are initiated without advance 

notice, conducted using on-site or telephone and 

facsimile investigations, and performed by highly 

trained compliance officers. Worksite inspections are 

conducted based on the following priorities:

n Imminent danger;

n A fatality or hospitalizations;

n Worker complaints and referrals;

n Targeted inspections – particular hazards, high 

injury rates; and

n Follow-up inspections.

Inspections are conducted without employers 

knowing when or where they will occur. The employer 

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is not informed in advance that there will be an 

inspection, regardless of whether it is in response to 

a complaint or is a programmed inspection. 

Right to File a Complaint with OSHA 

to Request an On-site OSHA Inspection

On-site inspections can be triggered by a worker 

complaint of a potential workplace hazard or violation. 

If your workplace has unsafe or unhealthful working 

conditions, you may want to file a complaint. Often 

the best and fastest way to get a hazard corrected is 

to notify your supervisor or employer. 

Current workers or their representatives may file 

a written complaint and ask OSHA to inspect their 

workplace if they believe there is a serious hazard or 

that their employer is not following OSHA standards 

or rules. Workers and their representatives have the 

right to ask for an inspection without OSHA telling 

their employer who filed the complaint. It is a violation 

of the OSH Act for an employer to fire, demote, 

transfer or retaliate in any way against a worker for 

filing a complaint or using other OSHA rights.

A complaint can be filed in a number of ways:

1. Mail or submit the OSHA Complaint Form – 

Download the OSHA complaint form from our 

website (or request a copy from your local OSHA 

regional or area office), complete it and then fax 

or mail it back to your nearest OSHA regional or 

area office. Written complaints that report a serious 

hazard and are signed by a current worker or 

representative and submitted to the closest OSHA 

area office are given priority and are more likely to 

result in on-site OSHA inspections. A worker or their 

representative can request (on the form) that OSHA 

not let their employer know who filed the complaint. 

Please include your name, address and telephone 

number so we can contact you to follow up. This 

information is confidential. 

2. Online – Go to the online Complaint Form on 

the OSHA website, at www.osha.gov/pls/osha7/

eComplaintForm.html. Complaints that are sent in 

online will most likely be investigated using OSHA’s 

phone/fax system whereby the employer is contacted 

by phone or fax (not an actual inspection) about the 

WORKERS’ RIGHTS

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hazard. A written complaint that reports a serious 

hazard and is signed by a current worker(s) or their 

representative and mailed or otherwise submitted 

to an OSHA area or regional office is more likely to 

result in an on-site OSHA inspection. Complaints 

received online from workers in OSHA-approved 

state plan states will be forwarded to the appropriate 

state plan for response.

3. Telephone – Call your local OSHA regional or 

area office at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). OSHA staff 

can discuss your complaint and respond to any 

questions you have. If there is an emergency or the 

hazard is immediately life-threatening, call your 

local OSHA regional or area office.

Who else can file a complaint?

Employee representatives, for the purposes of filing a 

complaint, are defined as any of the following:

n An authorized representative of the employee 

bargaining unit, such as a certified or recognized 

labor organization. 

n An attorney acting for an employee. 

n Any other person acting in a bona fide representative 

capacity, including, but not limited to, members of 

the clergy, social workers, spouses and other family 

members, health care providers and government 

officials or nonprofit groups and organizations acting 

upon specific complaints or injuries from individuals 

who are employees. In general, the affected employee 

should have requested, or at least approved, the 

filing of the complaint on his or her behalf.

In addition, anyone who knows about a workplace 

safety or health hazard may report unsafe conditions to 

OSHA, and OSHA will investigate the concerns reported.

Rights of Workers during an Inspection

During an inspection, workers or their representatives 

have the following rights:

n Have a representative of employees, such as the 

safety steward of a labor organization, go along on 

the inspection;

n Talk privately with the inspector; and

n Take part in meetings with the inspector before and 

after the inspection.

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When there is no authorized employee representative, 

the OSHA inspector must talk confidentially with a 

reasonable number of workers during the inspection. 

Workers are encouraged to:

n Point out hazards;

n Describe injuries or illnesses that resulted from 

these hazards;

n Discuss past worker complaints about hazards; and

n Inform the inspector of working conditions that are 

not normal during the inspection.

Following the Inspection

At the end of the inspection, the OSHA inspector 

will meet with the employer and the employee 

representatives in a closing conference to discuss 

any violations found and possible methods by which 

any hazards found will be abated. If it is not practical 

to hold a joint conference, the compliance officer will 

hold separate conferences. 

When the OSHA area director determines that there 

has been a violation of OSHA standards, regulations, 

or other requirements, the area director issues a 

citation and notification of proposed penalty to 

an employer. A citation includes a description of 

the violation and the date by when the corrective 

actions must be taken. Depending on the situation, 

OSHA can classify a violation as serious, willful, or 

repeat. The employer can also be cited for failing 

to correct a violation for which it has already been 

cited. Employers must post a copy of a citation in the 

workplace where employees will see it.

Workers’ Rights following Issuance of 

Citations 

Workers and employers can contest citations once 

they are issued to the employer. Workers may only 

contest the amount of time the employer is given to 

correct the hazard. Workers or their representatives 

must file a notice of contest with the OSHA area 

office within 15 days of the issuance of a citation. 

Employers have the right to challenge whether 

there is a violation, how the violation is classified, 

the amount of any penalty, what the employer 

must do to correct the violation and how long 

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they have to fix it. Workers or their representatives 

may participate in this appeals process by electing 

“party status.” This is done by filing a written notice 

with the Occupational Safety and Health Review 

Commission (OSHRC).

The OSHRC hears appeals of OSHA citations. They 

are an independent agency separate from the 

Department of Labor. For more information, write to:

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health 

Review Commission

1120 20th Street NW, 9th Floor

Washington, DC 20036

Phone: 202-606-5400 Fax: 202-606-5050

www.oshrc.gov

Right to Information if No Inspection is 

Conducted or No Citation Issued 

The OSHA area director evaluates complaints from 

employees or their representatives according to the 

procedures defined in the OSHA Field Operations 

Manual. If the area director decides not to inspect 

the workplace, he or she will send a letter to the 

complainant explaining the decision and the reasons 

for it.

OSHA will inform complainants that they have 

the right to request a review of the decision by 

the OSHA regional administrator. Similarly, in the 

event that OSHA decides not to issue a citation after 

an inspection, employees have a right to further 

clarification from the area director and an informal 

review by the regional administrator.

Right to Use Your Rights: 

Protection against Retaliation 

Whistleblower Protection

The OSH Act prohibits employers from retaliating 

against their employees for using their rights under 

the OSH Act. These rights include filing an OSHA 

complaint, participating in an inspection or talking to 

the inspector, seeking access to employer exposure 

and injury records, raising a safety or health issue 

with the employer, or any other workers’ rights 

described above. 

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Protection from retaliation means that an employer 

cannot punish workers by taking “adverse action”, 

such as:

n Firing or laying off;

n Blacklisting;

n Demoting;

n Denying overtime or promotion;

n Disciplining;

n Denying benefits;

n Failing to hire or rehire;

n Intimidation;

n Making threats;

n Reassignment affecting prospects for promotion; or

n Reducing pay or hours.

You can file a complaint alleging retaliation with 

OSHA if your employer has punished you for 

using any employee rights established under the 

OSH Act. If you have been retaliated against for 

using your rights, you must file a complaint with 

OSHA within 30 calendar days from the date the 

retaliatory decision has been both made and 

communicated to you (the worker). Contact your 

local OSHA office by calling, within 30 days of 

the alleged retaliation, 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), or 

send a letter to your closest regional or area office. 

No form is required. In states with approved state 

plans, employees may file a complaint with both 

the State and Federal OSHA. 

Following a complaint, OSHA will contact the 

complainant and conduct an interview to determine 

whether an investigation is necessary.

If the evidence shows that the employee has been 

retaliated against for exercising safety and health 

rights, OSHA will ask the employer to restore that 

worker’s job, earnings, and benefits. If the employer 

refuses, OSHA may take the employer to court. In 

such cases, a Department of Labor attorney will 

represent the employee to obtain this relief.

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If There is a Dangerous Situation at Work

If you believe working conditions are unsafe or 

unhealthful, we recommend that you bring the 

conditions to your employer’s attention, if possible.

You may file a complaint with OSHA concerning a 

hazardous working condition at any time. However, 

you should not leave the worksite merely because 

you have filed a complaint. If the condition clearly 

presents a risk of death or serious physical harm, 

there is not sufficient time for OSHA to inspect, and, 

where possible, you have brought the condition to 

the attention of your employer, you may have a legal 

right to refuse to work in a situation in which you 

would be exposed to the hazard.

If a worker, with no reasonable alternative, refuses 

in good faith to expose himself or herself to a 

dangerous condition, he or she would be protected 

from subsequent retaliation. The condition must be 

of such a nature that a reasonable person would 

conclude that there is a real danger of death or 

serious harm and that there is not enough time 

to contact OSHA and for OSHA to inspect. Where 

possible, the employee must have also sought 

from his employer, and been unable to obtain, a 

correction of the condition. For more information, go 

to www.osha.gov/workers.html. 

Additional Whistleblower Protections

Since passage of the OSH Act in 1970, Congress 

has expanded OSHA’s whistleblower protection 

authority to protect workers from retaliation under 

22 federal laws. These laws protect employees 

who report violations of various workplace safety, 

airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer 

product, environmental, financial reform, 

healthcare reform, nuclear, pipeline, public 

transportation agency, railroad, maritime and 

securities laws. Complaints must be reported 

to OSHA within set timeframes following the 

retaliatory action, as prescribed by each law.

These laws, and the number of days employees 

have to file a complaint, are:

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Worker, Environmental and Nuclear Safety Laws

n Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response 

Act (AHERA) (90 days). Provides retaliation 

protection for individuals who report violations 

of environmental laws relating to asbestos 

in public or private nonprofit elementary and 

secondary school systems. 

n Clean Air Act (CAA) (30 days). Provides retaliation 

protection for employees who, among other 

things, report violations of this law, which 

provides for the development and enforcement of 

standards regarding air quality and air pollution.

n Comprehensive Environmental Response, 

Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) 

(30 days). Protects employees who report 

regulatory violations involving accidents, spills, 

and other emergency releases of pollutants into 

the environment. The law also protects employees 

who report violations related to the cleanup of 

uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous waste sites.

n Energy Reorganization Act (ERA) (180 days). 

Protects certain employees in the nuclear 

industry who report violations of the Atomic 

Energy Act (AEA). Protected employees include 

employees of operators, contractors and 

subcontractors of nuclear power plants licensed 

by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and 

employees of contractors working with the 

Department of Energy under a contract pursuant 

to the Atomic Energy Act.

n Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) 

(also known as the Clean Water Act) (30 days). 

Provides retaliation protection for employees 

who, among other things, report violations of 

the law controlling water pollution.

n Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

(30 days). Provides retaliation protection for 

employees who exercise a variety of rights 

guaranteed under this law, such as filing a 

safety and health complaint with OSHA and 

participating in an inspection. 

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n Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (30 days). 

Provides retaliation protection for employees 

who, among other things, report violations of this 

law, which requires that all drinking water systems 

assure that their water is potable, as determined 

by the Environmental Protection Agency.

n Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) (also known 

as the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) 

(30 days). Provides retaliation protection for 

employees who, among other things, report 

violations of the law regulating the disposal of 

solid waste. 

n Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) (30 days). 

Provides retaliation protection for employees 

who, among other things, report violations 

of regulations involving the manufacture, 

distribution, and use of certain toxic substances.

Transportation Industry Laws

n Federal Railroad Safety Act (FRSA) (180 days). 

Provides protection to employees of railroad 

carriers and contractors and subcontractors of 

those carriers who report an alleged violation 

of any federal law, rule, or regulation relating 

to railroad safety or security, or gross fraud, 

waste, or abuse of federal grants or other public 

funds intended to be used for railroad safety 

or security; report, in good faith, a hazardous 

safety or security condition; refuse to violate 

or assist in the violation of any federal law, 

rule, or regulation relating to railroad safety 

or security; refuse to work when confronted 

by a hazardous safety or security condition 

related to the performance of the employee’s 

duties (under imminent danger circumstances); 

request prompt medical or first-aid treatment for 

employment-related injuries; are disciplined for 

requesting medical or first-aid treatment or for 

following an order or treatment plan of a treating 

physician. 

n International Safe Container Act (ISCA) (60 days). 

Provides retaliation protection for employees 

who report violations of this law, which regulates 

shipping containers.

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n Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century 

Act (MAP-21) (180 days). Prohibits retaliation 

by motor vehicle manufacturers, part suppliers, 

and dealerships against employees for 

providing information to the employer or the 

U.S. Department of Transportation about motor 

vehicle defects, noncompliance, or violations 

of the notification or reporting requirements 

enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration or for engaging in related 

protected activities as set forth in the provision.

n National Transit Systems Security Act (NTSSA) 

(180 days). Provides protection to public transit 

employees who, among other things, report 

an alleged violation of any federal law, rule, 

or regulation relating to public transportation 

agency safety or security, or fraud, waste, or 

abuse of federal grants or other public funds 

intended to be used for public transportation 

safety or security; refuse to violate or assist 

in the violation of any federal law, rule, or 

regulation relating to public transportation safety 

or security; report a hazardous safety or security 

condition; refuse to work when confronted by a 

hazardous safety or security condition related to 

the performance of the employee’s duties (under 

imminent danger circumstances).

n Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 (PSIA)

(180 days). Provides retaliation protection for 

employees who report violations of the federal 

laws regarding pipeline safety and security or 

who refuse to violate such provisions.

n Seaman’s Protection Act (SPA) (180 days). 

Seamen are protected, among other things, for 

reporting to the Coast Guard or other federal 

agency a reasonably believed violation of a 

maritime safety law or regulation prescribed 

under that law or regulation. The law also 

protects work refusals where the employee 

reasonably believes an assigned task would 

result in serious injury or impairment of health 

to the seaman, other seamen, or the public and 

when the seaman sought, and was unable to 

obtain correction of the unsafe conditions. 

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n Surface Transportation Assistance Act (STAA) 

(180 days). Provides retaliation protection for 

truck drivers and other employees relating to the 

safety of commercial motor vehicles. Coverage 

includes all buses for hire and freight trucks 

with a gross vehicle weight greater than 10,001 

pounds. 

n Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform 

Act for the 21st Century (AIR21) (90 days). 

Provides retaliation protection for employees of 

air carriers, contractors, or subcontractors of air 

carriers who, among other things, raise safety 

concerns.

Fraud Prevention Laws

n Affordable Care Act (ACA) (180 days). Protects 

employees who report violations of any provision 

of Title I of the ACA, including but not limited 

to retaliation based on an individual’s receipt of 

health insurance subsidies, the denial of coverage 

based on a preexisting condition, or an insurer’s 

failure to rebate a portion of an excess premium. 

n Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 

(CFPA), Section 1057 of the Dodd-Frank Wall 

Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 

(180 days). Protects employees who report 

perceived violations of any provision of the 

Dodd‐Frank Act, which encompasses nearly every 

aspect of the financial services industry. The law 

also protects employees who report violations of 

any rule, order, standard or prohibition prescribed 

by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

n Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 

(SOX) (180 days). Protects employees of certain 

companies who report alleged mail, wire, bank or 

securities fraud; violations of the Securities and 

Exchange Commission (SEC) rules and regulations; 

or violations of Federal laws related to fraud 

against shareholders. The law covers employees 

of publicly traded companies and companies 

required to file certain reports with the SEC.

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Consumer Safety Laws

n Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act 

(CPSIA) (180 days). Protects employees who 

report to their employer, the federal government, 

or a state attorney general reasonably perceived 

violations of any statute or regulation within 

the jurisdiction of the Consumer Product Safety 

Commission (CPSC). CPSIA covers employees 

of consumer product manufacturers, importers, 

distributors, retailers, and private labelers. 

n FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) 

(180 days). Protects employees of food 

manufacturers, distributors, packers, and 

transporters for reporting a violation of the 

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or a regulation 

promulgated under this law. Employees are 

also protected from retaliation for refusing to 

participate in a practice that violates this law. 

If you believe that you have been retaliated 

against, call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) to be 

connected to the nearest OSHA office to report 

your complaint. For more information, visit OSHA’s 

Whistleblower page at www.whistleblowers.gov.

OSHA Assistance, Services and Programs

OSHA has a great deal of information to assist 

employers in complying with their responsibilities 

under OSHA law. Several OSHA programs and 

services can help employers identify and correct job 

hazards, as well as improve their injury and illness 

prevention program.

Establishing an Injury and 

Illness Prevention Program

The key to a safe and healthful work environment is a 

comprehensive injury and illness prevention program.

Injury and illness prevention programs are systems 

that can substantially reduce the number and severity 

of workplace injuries and illnesses, while reducing 

costs to employers. Thousands of employers across 

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the United States already manage safety using injury 

and illness prevention programs, and OSHA believes 

that all employers can and should do the same. Thirtyfour states have requirements or voluntary guidelines 

for workplace injury and illness prevention programs. 

Most successful injury and illness prevention programs 

are based on a common set of key elements. These 

include management leadership, worker participation, 

hazard identification, hazard prevention and control, 

education and training, and program evaluation 

and improvement. Visit OSHA’s Injury and Illness 

Prevention Programs web page at www.osha.gov/dsg/

topics/safetyhealth for more information.

Compliance Assistance Specialists

OSHA has compliance assistance specialists 

throughout the nation located in most OSHA offices. 

Compliance assistance specialists can provide 

information to employers and workers about OSHA 

standards, short educational programs on specific 

hazards or OSHA rights and responsibilities, and 

information on additional compliance assistance 

resources. For more details, visit www.osha.gov/

dcsp/compliance_assistance/cas.html or call 1-800-

321-OSHA (6742) to contact your local OSHA office.

Free On-site Safety and Health Consultation 

Services for Small Business

OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free 

and confidential advice to small and medium-sized 

businesses in all states across the country, with 

priority given to high-hazard worksites. Each year, 

responding to requests from small employers 

looking to create or improve their safety and 

health management programs, OSHA’s On-site 

Consultation Program conducts over 29,000 visits to 

small business worksites covering over 1.5 million 

workers across the nation. 

On-site consultation services are separate from 

enforcement and do not result in penalties or 

citations. Consultants from state agencies or 

universities work with employers to identify 

workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance 

with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing 

safety and health management programs.

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For more information, to find the local On-site 

Consultation office in your state, or to request a 

brochure on consultation services, visit www.osha.gov/

consultation, or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).

Under the consultation program, certain exemplary 

employers may request participation in OSHA’s 

Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program 

(SHARP). Eligibility for participation includes, but is 

not limited to, receiving a full-service, comprehensive 

consultation visit, correcting all identified hazards and 

developing an effective safety and health management 

program. Worksites that receive SHARP recognition 

are exempt from programmed inspections during the 

period that the SHARP certification is valid.

Cooperative Programs

OSHA offers cooperative programs under which 

businesses, labor groups and other organizations can 

work cooperatively with OSHA. To find out more about 

any of the following programs, visit www.osha.gov/

dcsp/compliance_assistance/index_programs.html.

Strategic Partnerships and Alliances

The OSHA Strategic Partnerships (OSP) provide the 

opportunity for OSHA to partner with employers, 

workers, professional or trade associations, labor 

organizations, and/or other interested stakeholders. 

OSHA Partnerships are formalized through unique 

agreements designed to encourage, assist, and 

recognize partner efforts to eliminate serious hazards 

and achieve model workplace safety and health 

practices. Through the Alliance Program, OSHA 

works with groups committed to worker safety and 

health to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries and 

illnesses by developing compliance assistance tools 

and resources to share with workers and employers, 

and educate workers and employers about their 

rights and responsibilities.

Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)

The VPP recognize employers and workers in private 

industry and federal agencies who have implemented 

effective safety and health management programs 

and maintain injury and illness rates below the 

national average for their respective industries. In VPP, 

management, labor, and OSHA work cooperatively 

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and proactively to prevent fatalities, injuries, and 

illnesses through a system focused on: hazard 

prevention and control, worksite analysis, training, and 

management commitment and worker involvement.

Occupational Safety and Health Training

The OSHA Training Institute in Arlington Heights, 

Illinois, provides basic and advanced training and 

education in safety and health for federal and state 

compliance officers, state consultants, other federal 

agency personnel and private sector employers, 

workers, and their representatives. In addition, 

27 OSHA Training Institute Education Centers at 

42 locations throughout the United States deliver 

courses on OSHA standards and occupational safety 

and health issues to thousands of students a year.

For more information on training, contact the OSHA 

Directorate of Training and Education, 2020 Arlington 

Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005; call 1-847-

297-4810; or visit www.osha.gov/otiec.

OSHA Educational Materials

OSHA has many types of educational materials in 

English, Spanish, Vietnamese and other languages 

available in print or online. These include:

n Brochures/booklets that cover a wide variety of job 

hazards and other topics;

n Fact Sheets, which contain basic background 

information on safety and health hazards;

n Guidance documents that provide detailed 

examinations of specific safety and health issues;

n Online Safety and Health Topics pages;

n Posters;

n Small, laminated QuickCardsTM that provide brief 

safety and health information; and

n QuickTakes, OSHA’s free, twice-monthly online 

newsletter with the latest news about OSHA initiatives 

and products to assist employers and workers in 

finding and preventing workplace hazards. To sign 

up for QuickTakes visit www.osha.gov/quicktakes.

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To view materials available online or for a listing of 

free publications, visit www.osha.gov/publications. 

You can also call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) to order 

publications.

OSHA’s website also has a variety of eTools. 

These include utilities such as expert advisors, 

electronic compliance assistance, videos and other 

information for employers and workers. To learn 

more about OSHA’s safety and health tools online, 

visit www.osha.gov.

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation Program

Getting Help with Health Hazards

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and 

Health (NIOSH) is a federal agency that conducts 

scientific and medical research on workers’ safety 

and health. At no cost to employers or workers, 

NIOSH can help identify health hazards and 

recommend ways to reduce or eliminate those 

hazards in the workplace through its Health Hazard 

Evaluation (HHE) Program.

Workers, union representatives and employers can 

request a NIOSH HHE. An HHE is often requested 

when there is a higher than expected rate of a 

disease or injury in a group of workers. These 

situations may be the result of an unknown cause, 

a new hazard, or a mixture of sources. To request a 

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluation go to www.cdc.gov/

niosh/hhe/request.html. To find out more about the 

Health Hazard Evaluation Program:

n Call (513) 841-4382, or to talk to a staff member in 

Spanish, call (513) 841-4439; or

n Send an email to HHERequestHelp@cdc.gov.
How to Contact OSHA

For questions or to get information or advice, to 

report an emergency, report a fatality or catastrophe, 

order publications, sign up for OSHA’s e-newsletter 

QuickTakes, or to file a confidential complaint, contact 

your nearest OSHA office, visit www.osha.gov or call 

OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627.

For assistance, contact us.

We are OSHA. We can help. 

It’s confidential.

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OSHA Regional Offices

Region I

Boston Regional Office

(CT*, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT*)

JFK Federal Building, Room E340

Boston, MA 02203

(617) 565-9860 (617) 565-9827 Fax 

Region II

New York Regional Office

(NJ*, NY*, PR*, VI*)

201 Varick Street, Room 670

New York, NY 10014

(212) 337-2378 (212) 337-2371 Fax

Region III

Philadelphia Regional Office

(DE, DC, MD*, PA, VA*, WV)

The Curtis Center

170 S. Independence Mall West

Suite 740 West

Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309

(215) 861-4900 (215) 861-4904 Fax

Region IV 

Atlanta Regional Office

(AL, FL, GA, KY*, MS, NC*, SC*, TN*)

61 Forsyth Street, SW, Room 6T50

Atlanta, GA 30303

(678) 237-0400 (678) 237-0447 Fax

 

Region V

Chicago Regional Office

(IL*, IN*, MI*, MN*, OH, WI)

230 South Dearborn Street 

Room 3244

Chicago, IL 60604

(312) 353-2220 (312) 353-7774 Fax

Region VI

Dallas Regional Office

(AR, LA, NM*, OK, TX)

525 Griffin Street, Room 602

Dallas, TX 75202

(972) 850-4145 (972) 850-4149 Fax

(972) 850-4150 FSO Fax

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Region VII

Kansas City Regional Office

(IA*, KS, MO, NE)

Two Pershing Square Building

2300 Main Street, Suite 1010

Kansas City, MO 64108-2416

(816) 283-8745 (816) 283-0547 Fax

Region VIII

Denver Regional Office

(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT*, WY*)

Cesar Chavez Memorial Building

1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 551

Denver, CO 80204

(720) 264-6550 (720) 264-6585 Fax

Region IX

San Francisco Regional Office

(AZ*, CA*, HI*, NV*, and American Samoa, 

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands)

90 7th Street, Suite 18100

San Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 625-2547 (415) 625-2534 Fax

Region X

Seattle Regional Office

(AK*, ID, OR*, WA*)

300 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1280

Seattle, WA 98104

(206) 757-6700 (206) 757-6705 Fax

* These states and territories operate their own 

OSHA-approved job safety and health plans and 

cover state and local government employees as well 

as private sector employees. The Connecticut, Illinois, 

New Jersey, New York and Virgin Islands programs 

cover public employees only. (Private sector workers 

in these states are covered by Federal OSHA). States 

with approved programs must have standards that 

are identical to, or at least as effective as, the Federal 

OSHA standards.

Note: To get contact information for OSHA area 

offices, OSHA-approved state plans and OSHA 

consultation projects, please visit us online at 

www.osha.gov or call us at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742).

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(800) 321-OSHA (6742)
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION

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If you think your job 

is unsafe and you have 

questions, call OSHA.

We can help. 

It’s confidential.