As an employer, you must respect employees' rights under the OSH Act. Employees' rights include:
Employees cannot be discharged or discriminated against for exercising any right created by the Act or for filing complaints or instituting proceedings under or related to the Act. And since the number one reason that OSHA inspects businesses is employees' complaints, be sure to comply with OSHA recordkeeping.
OSHA requires you to display posters that inform employees of their job safety rights. Copies of this poster (OSHA 3165) are available at http://www.osha-slc.gov/Publications/poster.jsp
Private rights of action. The OSH Act does not create a private right
of action that would allow employees to sue you for injuries caused by your
violation of the Act or OSHA standards. On the other hand, the OSH Act does not
affect state workers'
compensation laws, nor does it preclude a suit by an employee based on any
rights created by state statutes or common law. Evidence of OSHA violations may
be admissible as evidence in such a suit.