page_title: Occupational safety and health
section_title: Healthcare and social assistance
hierarchical_section_title: Occupational safety and health / By industry / Healthcare and social assistance
caption_attribution_description: English: German Beekeeper in the district Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany. Deutsch: Deutscher Imker bei der Bienenzucht in Wittenburg, Elze, Landkreis Hildesheim
context_page_description: Occupational safety and health, also commonly referred to as health and safety, occupational health and safety, occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at work. These terms also refer to the goals of this field, so their use in the sense of this article was originally an abbreviation of occupational safety and health program/department etc.
  The goal of an occupational safety and health program is to foster a safe and healthy work environment. OSH may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, and many others who might be affected by the workplace environment.
  In common-law jurisdictions, employers have a common law duty to take reasonable care of the safety of their employees. Statute law may, in addition, impose other general duties, introduce specific duties, and create government bodies with powers to regulate workplace safety issues: details of this vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.
context_section_description: Healthcare workers are exposed to many hazards that can adversely affect their health and well-being. Long hours, changing shifts, physically demanding tasks, violence, and exposures to infectious diseases and harmful chemicals are examples of hazards that put these workers at risk for illness and injury.
  According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, U.S. hospitals recorded 253,700 work-related injuries and illnesses in 2011, which is 6.8 work-related injuries and illnesses for every 100 full-time employees.  The injury and illness rate in hospitals is higher than the rates in construction and manufacturing – two industries that are traditionally thought to be relatively hazardous.
caption: Beekeepers often wear protective clothing, for OHS reasons
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