Under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), workers have the right to a safe workplace. The OSH Act was passed to prevent workers from being killed or otherwise harmed at work. The law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers. The OSH Act is located in the United States Code at 29 U.S.C. §651, and the applicable regulations are located in the Code of Federal Regulations at 29 C.F.R. §1910.

The OSH Act created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which sets and enforces protective workplace safety and health standards. OSHA also provides information, training, and assistance to employers and workers.

And most states have additional laws (statutes) that govern safety and health in the workplace.

In Ohio, as in all states, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) provides the baseline for workplace safety. The OSH Act's primary goal is to ensure that employers provide a work environment free from recognized hazards that could cause death or serious harm to employees. This is codified in the United States Code at 29 U.S.C. §651 and further detailed in the Code of Federal Regulations at 29 C.F.R. §1910. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal agency responsible for enforcing these standards, as well as offering training and assistance. While Ohio does not have a state plan approved by OSHA, meaning it follows federal OSHA regulations directly, employers must also comply with any specific state occupational safety and health statutes that may exist. These state laws can provide additional protections and requirements beyond federal standards, but they cannot provide less protection than the OSH Act requires.