| More than 90 million American spend their days on | | | | work-fatality rate by more than half, reduced the |
| the job. They are our most valuable national | | | | overall injury and illness rates in industries where |
| resource. And, until 1970, no uniform and | | | | OSHA has concentrated its attention, virtually |
| comprehensive requirements existed for | | | | eliminated brown lung disease in the textile |
| workplace safety and their protection against | | | | industry and reduced trenching and excavation |
| health hazards. | | | | fatalities by 35 percent. |
| How did OSHA Form? | | | | OSHA is administered through the Department of |
| In 1970, Congress considered annual figures such | | | | Labor (DOL). The DOL regulates and enforces |
| as these: | | | | more than 180 federal laws. These mandates and |
| - Job related accidents accounted for more than | | | | the regulations that implement them cover many |
| 14,000 worker deaths. | | | | workplace activities for about 10 million employers |
| - Nearly 2 1/2 million workers were disabled. | | | | and 125 million workers. |
| - Ten times as many person-days were lost from | | | | Who Does OSHA Cover? |
| job-related disabilities as from strikes. | | | | OSHA determines which standards apply to your |
| - Estimated new cases of occupational diseases | | | | workplace and requires you to follow these |
| totaled 300,000 | | | | standards and requirements. |
| In terms of lost production and wages, medical, | | | | All employees and their employers under Federal |
| expenses and disability compensation, the burden | | | | Government authority are covered by OSHA. |
| on the nation's commerce was staggering. Human | | | | Coverage is provided either directly by federal |
| cost was beyond calculations. Therefore, the | | | | OSHA or through and OSHA-approved state |
| Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1979 (the | | | | program. OSHA does not cover the |
| Act) was passed by a bipartisan Congress "...to | | | | self-employed or immediate members of farm |
| assure so far as possible every working man and | | | | families that do not employ outside workers. |
| woman in the Nation safe and healthful working | | | | OSHA offers an extensive Web site at osha.gov |
| conditions and to preserve our human resources." | | | | that includes sections devoted to training, |
| What is OSHA? | | | | compliance assistance, state programs, small |
| Under the Act, the Occupational Safety and | | | | businesses, construction, as well as interactive |
| Health administration (OSHA) was created within | | | | eTools to help employers and employees. |
| the Department of Labor. | | | | OSHA also offers outreach training programs for |
| Simply stated, OSHA is the Occupational Safety | | | | employers and employees to get certified in |
| and Health Administration and is responsible for | | | | hazard recognition. Some states currently |
| worker safety and health protection. | | | | mandate training. |
| Since its inception in 1970, OSHA has cut the | | | | |