What are two responsibilities that you have as an employee?

Rights and Obligations of the Worker in a Company

You have the legal right to in your capacity as a worker to:

A working environment that is both safe and healthy

Any information that your employer may have regarding any possible exposures to dangers, such as noise or harmful substances, that you may have experienced in the past is relevant. In addition, you have the legal right to see any medical records that your employer may keep on you.

to request that your employer make the necessary safety adjustments.

To lodge a complaint about potential dangers in the workplace:

Workers in the private sector in Maine should contact OSHA at 207-626-9160.

Call the Bureau of Labor Standards at the Maine Department of Labor at 207-623-7900 if you work in the public sector in the state of Maine.

to take part in inspections conducted by enforcement.

to be protected from discrimination in the event that you exercise your rights to health and safety. Your right to exercise your health and safety protections does not give your employer the authority to terminate you, threaten you, harass you, or treat you any differently.

to decline employment that puts you in imminent and significant risk of injury to yourself or others. Before you walk away from risky job, you should first make it apparent to your employer that you are willing to take an alternative assignment and request that the hazard be removed. OSHA will only provide protection for you if it can be shown that you are in danger; if you refuse to work because you consider a situation to be dangerous, but you are later shown to be mistaken, OSHA will not provide protection for you.

Access to information regarding the dangers that exist in your place of employment, the chemicals that are used there, the tests that your employer has conducted to measure the levels of chemicals, noise, and radiation, and the procedures that should be followed in the event that you or any other employees are involved in an incident or are exposed to other toxic substances.

to information regarding OSHA requirements, worker injuries and illnesses, employment dangers, and workers' rights that has been provided by your employer.

To education provided by your company.

about the substances to which you are exposed in the course of your employment, as well as information on how to safeguard yourself against injury.

on any additional risks to your health and safety, as well as the standards that your company is required to adhere to.

It is your duty, in your capacity as an employee, to:

Take the time to read the health and safety notice posted at the workplace.

Maintain full compliance with all OSHA and Maine safety regulations that apply.

While you are on the job, it is essential that you adhere to all of your employer's health and safety laws and regulations, as well as wear or utilize any needed protective equipment.

Notify your employer of any potentially dangerous situations.

Notify your employer of any sickness or injury that may be connected to your employment, and get treatment as soon as possible.

Responsibilities of the Employer

Employers are required to do the following by both federal law (the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970) and state law in Maine:

Offer a working environment that is devoid of significant dangers.

Observe the rules set out by OSHA.

Ensure that your staff has access to and uses only secure tools and equipment. Ensure that this apparatus is well maintained.

Employees should be warned of possible dangers via the use of color codes, posters, labels, or signs.

Create or revise your operating procedures, then make sure everyone is aware of them so they can comply with all of the necessary safety and health regulations.

When the OSHA regulations demand it, provide medical exams and training to your employees. Display the OSHA Poster (for private enterprises) or the State of Maine Occupational Safety and Health Poster (for public sector employers) at a place where workers may see it to inform them of their rights and duties in the workplace.

Notify the appropriate authorities immediately of any hospitalizations or fatalities:

Any accident in the private sector that results in the death of an employee or the hospitalization of three or more workers must be reported to the nearest OSHA office (780-3178) within eight hours of the incident.

Public Sector in Maine: to the Bureau of Labor Standards Workplace Safety and Health Division within eight hours in the event of a fatality and within twenty-four hours in the event that an injured worker requires hospitalization for more than one night. You may reach us at 624-6400 on weekdays between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (except on state holidays). Fax your message to the number 624-6449, or call the pager number 750-1852 at other hours.

Make sure you keep a record of any injuries or illnesses that are work-related and then publish these documents. (It is important to note that firms in the private sector that have 10 workers or less, as well as employers in certain low-hazard sectors, are excluded from this obligation.)

Make the Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses available to current workers, past employees, and their representatives, and make it searchable.

Make employee medical records and exposure records available to workers or their authorized representatives who request access to these documents.

Employees who are exercising their rights to safety and health should not be subjected to discrimination.

Put the citations in or near the location of the work that is being done. Each citation must to be shown for at least three full working days, or until the offense in question has been rectified, whichever comes first. Documents or tags verifying the abatement should be shown.

Correct the infractions that were noted before the deadline that was given in the citation, and provide the relevant documents to verify the abatement of the violations.