Issue link: https://nnumagazine.uberflip.com/i/704847
Health and Safety with National Nurses United 8 different statutes. The regulations set requirements for employers to follow, and OSHA enforces them through inspections and citations. OSHA performs two types of inspections: Programmed: Scheduled inspec- tions that are planned each year. Unprogrammed: Unscheduled inspections resulting from the following situations. • If an employer reports a fatality or serious injury requiring hos- pitalization, OSHA initiates an inspection. • If a worker reports a health and safety concern to OSHA, OSHA follows up with an inspection. Workers have the right to ask for an inspection without OSHA revealing the identity of the complainant. During an inspection, workers have the right for a worker rep- resentative to accompany the OSHA inspector. They also have the right to a private meeting with the OSHA inspector before and after the inspection. The inspector may request inter- views with workers during the inspection, and workers have the right to conduct these interviews privately, without an employer representative present. If OSHA finds that an employ- er is violating regulations or is endangering workers' health and safety, they will issue a citation to the employer. With this citation comes a requirement for the employer to fix the hazardous situation. A fine is also attached to the citation. Violations can be classified as serious, willful, repeat, or other. Employers may contest or appeal citations. States have the option to create their own OSHA plans. Federal OSHA requires that these state plans be "as good as" federal OSHA — this means that any state can create stronger or more protections for workers but they cannot be less protective than federal OSHA's regulations. Twen- ty-six states have state plans. Ultimately, OSHA is a weak protection for workers with only one inspector per 59,000 work- ers. However, it is a vital tool that can be effectively wielded by unions and worker advocates. The nurse at the bedside or the work- er on the assembly line knows best whether their employer is providing a safe workplace free of hazards. NNU, as the premiere RN union in the country, has been the most successful at ensuring that these tools are used to protect patients and nurses as effectively as possible.