Ohio OSHA : What you need to know

Rules. Ohio is not a “state plan” state; that is, it does not have a federally approved occupational safety and health regulatory program. Therefore, private sector workplaces are regulated by the federal standards. The state has adopted by reference the federal safety standards (except ionizing and nonionizing radiation) for public sector employers and has adopted its own stricter requirements for employee rights to refuse work, employee medical records, injury and illness records, and for penalties. See the state section ENFORCEMENT for more information about the penalties for public sector workplaces.

Administration and enforcement. OSHA administers and enforces workplace safety and health regulations at private facilities in Ohio. The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) administers the state standards for public sector workplaces.

BWC regulates public sector employers and provides compliance assistance and training services to such employers under the state’s Public Employment Risk Reduction Program (PERRP).

The purpose of PERRP is to ensure that public employees in Ohio have a safe and healthful work environment. The public sector employer “must furnish to each public employee a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.”

Compliance. BWC conducts workplace safety and health inspections at public sector workplaces, enforces the provisions of PERRP, and provides consultation to correct hazards.

Compliance assistance. BWC’s PERRP services to employers and their employees are free and include:

• Compliance assistance visits
• Safety training
• Site-specific ...