Health and Safety

Occupational health and safety is the responsibility of the United States Department of Labor (DOL). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a specific agency within the DOL that is responsible for ensuring that the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which was approved by President Nixon in 1970, are carried out. OSHA is mainly responsible for ensuring that safety and health standards are met in private companies and industries across the United States. The laws enforced by OSHA affect nearly every employed person in the United States, sparing those who work in mines, public employees, and self-employed persons. The Mine Safety and Health Administration is held accountable for ensuring the unique safety and health standards of the mining industry are upheld.

Legal Issues

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH) is a federal law that addresses health and safety concerns both in the private sector and among federal government workplaces. The primary goal of OSH is to ensure that employees are not exposed to unnecessary hazards, including chemicals or radiation, excessive heat or cold, unsanitary working conditions, noise, or mechanical failures. In the first half of the twentieth century, workplace safety and health conditions were not considered concerns of the federal government, even with numerous factories that relied on heavy machinery for mass production and the ever-growing use of chemicals in the workplace. Employers were similarly nonchalant about health and safety regulations: an injured or even dead worker was easier to replace than safety standards were to uphold. Companies were not held culpable for accidents that happened in the workplace, either. It wasn’t until after the Second World War that attitudes began to change; the focus shifted to protecting workers.

Affected Groups

Health and safety in the workplace affects every American who has or has had a job. The industry is not important; even those who work in offices may be exposed to hazards. Safety regulations are crucial to ensuring that preventable workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths are kept in check. For instance, in 1969, one year prior to OSH enactment and enforcement, an estimated 14,000 workers were killed on-the-job, while over two million became disabled or suffered injuries while working. In contrast, only 4,405 workers suffered fatalities in the workplace in 2013, in spite of the fact that there are more workers today.

Challenges

Workplace injuries and fatalities are still a challenge for the OSHA. Of all workplace fatalities in the private sector, approximately 20% occur in the construction industry. That amounts to one in five employee deaths, most of which are caused by the same four hazards: falls, struck by an object, electrocution, and caught in or between machinery. The OSHA has identified that eliminating the risk of these workplace hazards would save a total of 468 workers’ lives every year in the United States. However, since many construction workers are employed by contractors, it is difficult to ensure that safety regulations are met. The need to quickly hire labor can also outweigh the company’s desire to properly train workers and inform them of all hazards.