Any regulations on how much one can work? Ohio

[research]

Are there any federal or state regulations regarding how many hours an individual is permitted to work during any given period of time?

In this situation, employees (in the chemical industry, if that makes a difference) are allowed to work as much as they want, therefore they come in at all hours to get overtime pay... at some point, their health and safety would be compromised by fatigue.

My questions are:

-Can a laborer work a 20+ hour shift?
-Does a laborer have to be OFF the clock for a certain amount of time before he is permitted to clock in again?
-Is there a maximum number of hours per week that a labor would be permitted to work?
-where can I find more information about this?

Thanks for your help.

[bears00]

I don't know of any specific regulations, other than job specific (e.g. commericial truck drivers). I am not aware of any regulations covering laborers in the the chemical industry HOWEVER!!!

OSHA does have a general duty clause. This clause covers when there is no specific regulation. An employer is required to provide an employee with "employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees..."

The key to the above statement is "RECOGNIZED." Have the affected employees specifically told management that the lengthy and irregular working hours are not conducive to their personal safety? The employer has no duty to address an unrecognized hazard for which there is no specific regulation. The following elements are necessary to prove a violaiton of general duty:

The employer failed to keep the workplace free of a hazard to which employees of that employer were exposed. The hazard was recognized. The hazard was causing or was likely to cause death or serious physical harm, and There was a feasible and useful method to correct the hazard.

GOOD LUCK! I HOPE THIS HELPS!!!