2023 Tennessee Code › Title 50 - EMPLOYER AND EMPLOYEE (§§ 50-1-101 — 50-11-106) › Chapter 3 - OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT OF 1972 (§§ 50-3-101 — 50-3-2001) › Part 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 50-3-101 — 50-3-109) › Section 50-3-102 - Purpose

(a)
The general assembly finds that:
(1)
The burden on employers and employees of this state resulting from personal injuries and illnesses arising out of work situations is substantial;
(2)
The prevention of these injuries and illnesses is an important objective of the government of this state;
(3)
The greatest hope of attaining this objective lies in programs of research and education, and in the earnest cooperation of government, employers and employees; and
(4)
A program of regulation and enforcement is a necessary supplement to these more basic programs.
(b)
The general assembly declares it to be its purpose and policy through the exercise of its powers to assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the state safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources by:
(1)
Encouraging employers and employees in their efforts to reduce the number of occupational safety and health hazards at their places of employment, and to stimulate employers and employees to institute new, and to perfect existing, programs for providing safe and healthful working conditions;
(2)
Providing that employers and employees have separate but dependent responsibilities and rights with respect to achieving safe and healthful working conditions;
(3)
Authorizing the commissioner of labor and workforce development to develop occupational safety and health standards applicable to business, giving consideration to the needs of employees and employers and to standards promulgated from time to time by the secretary of labor under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (
29 U.S.C. § 651
et seq.), and by creating an occupational safety and health review commission for carrying out adjudicatory functions under this chapter;
(4)
Building upon advances already made by federal laws and regulations and state laws and regulations for providing safe and healthful working conditions;
(5)
Providing criteria that will assure, insofar as practicable, that no employee will suffer diminished health, functional capacity or life expectancy as a result of the employee's work experience;
(6)
Providing for education and training of personnel for the fair and efficient administration of occupational safety and health standards;
(7)
Providing for education and training of employers and employees in occupational safety and health;
(8)
Providing an effective enforcement program, which shall include a prohibition against giving advance notice of an inspection and sanctions for any individual violating this prohibition;
(9)
Providing for appropriate reporting procedures with respect to occupational safety and health, which procedures will help achieve the objectives of this chapter and accurately describe the nature of the occupational safety and health problem; and
(10)
Encouraging joint labor-management efforts to reduce injuries and diseases arising out of employment.
Acts 1972, ch. 561, § 1; 1977, ch. 111, § 1; T.C.A., § 50-502; Acts 1999, ch. 520, § 41.