In this module, we'll discuss the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, commonly referred to as OSHA and other agencies and legislation involved in minimizing workplace hazards. Then we'll discuss how OSHA affects workplace policies. Keeping a safe workspace requires a team effort, every person needs to be alert and aware of the environment and what activities are taking place. Constantly monitoring the surroundings is rather simple. Start with the basics of keeping this tidy. Use the proper methods to dispose of waste, handle tools appropriately, store materials in the correct locations, and clean up debris and spills. Predicting problems from hazards and proactively working to reduce them will prevent accidents and injury. Start and end your day with a focus on safety. Don't stop there, keep your vigilance going throughout the day. You have an obligation to monitor the surroundings and correct or report unsafe conditions as directed by your employers safety policies. On completion of this module, you'll be able to, one, list the agencies that play a role in safety in the energy and utilities Industry. Two, recognize OSHA standards, and three, identify environmental regulations. When we reflect on safety, we think about rules and regulations. We're going to discuss the rules and regulations that protect workplaces, but equally important are the safety regulations and standards of information, the environment, and the community. As we have learned, there are national regulations that enforce safe and secure operations for the protection of people, data, environment, property, and institutions. The energy and utilities industry follow many agency's recommendations and regulations of safety and security practices. Let's review some of the players and roles. The US Department of Labor or US DOL. The DOL is responsible for services related to occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, and the reemployment. Agencies within DOL instrumental in our discussion include, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, OSHA as we discussed, the Office of Labor Management Standards, and the Office of Worker's Compensation Program. Another federal entity related to our industry is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH. NIOSH conducts research and makes recommendations for the prevention of work-related injuries and illnesses. It is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, which is an agency within the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics collect, analyze, and distribute economic information to support public and private policies. The US Department of Transportation or DOT oversees regulations related to federal highways, airways, rails, and maritime. As a reminder, the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration PHMSA within the DOT coordinates activities involving oil and natural gas pipelines. The US Environmental Protection Agency EPA is a federal agency focuses on protecting our health and the environment. The agency researches, writes and enforces environmental regulations, and leads efforts to prevent pollution and encourages energy conservation. The EPA and the US Department of Energy coordinate efforts to address air quality and few related admission issues. The National Fire Protection Association NFPA publishes numerous safety standards, but two are of great interest to those in the energy and utilities industry. They are NFPA 70 and NFPA 70E Standards. The National Electric Code NEC or NFPA 70 is a US standard for safe installation of electrical wiring and equipment. The NEC, as commonly mandated by state or local law, the standard for electrical safety in a workplace. NFPA 70E, the US standard for electrical safety requirements for employees in the workplace requiring electricity related safeguards. NFPA 70E addresses electrical safety requirements for employees during tests such as installing, operating, maintaining, and demolishing electric conductors and equipment. The National Safety Council NSC, the nonprofit public service organization that is committed to promoting health and preventing injuries and deaths. The NSC works with government agencies to strengthen workplace safety and reduce workplace injuries and fatalities. The American Society of Safety Engineers is a well-established professional safety organization committed to protecting people and property. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission is responsible for ensuring safe use of nuclear energy, they promote defense and security, and public health, safety, and environmental protection with respect to nuclear energy. The United States Department of Homeland Security DHS is a federal agency, task with protecting the United States from terrorist attacks and responding to natural disasters. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation NERC is responsible to develop standards for power system operations, monitor and enforce compliance of those standards, assesses resources, and provides education, training, and certifications. The US Office of Health Safety and Security manages education and training programs and for certain programs including nuclear safety, worker safety, and health safety, and information security programs. As you can see, the power and energy sectors being large and diverse has no single entity that can be responsible for all the regulations. So, in addition to federal agencies and industry groups, there are also many state and local agencies that play a role in regulation. Typically, state government energy offices are responsible for coordinating responses for energy emergency, as well as, for developing practices and procedures to improve energy security and reliability. State governor's offices typically, develop policies that address energy, security, reliability, and emergency preparedness. In addition, local government agencies play vary roles in energy security, protection, and emergency response. As you can see, there are many regulations and many levels of government contributing to maintaining safer workspaces.
