History of OSHA - - - OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an
agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA's responsibility is worker safety and health
protection. The U.S. Congress create
...
History of OSHA - - - OSHA stands for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an
agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA's responsibility is worker safety and health
protection. The U.S. Congress created OSHA under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of
1970 (the OSH Act). Congress passed the law and established OSHA "to assure so far as
possible every working man and woman in the nation safe and healthful working conditions and
to preserve our human resources.
OSHA began because, until 1970, there were no national laws for safety and health hazards.
Some events that led to the OSHA law include: - - - --The 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Company
fire in New York City killed 146 of 500 employees in one of the worst work-related disasters in
our country's history. Factory workers, mainly young, female immigrants working long hours for
low wages, died because doors were locked and there were no fire escapes. This tragedy
outraged the public, who called for safety and health reform. Frances Perkins, who later became
the first Secretary of Labor, investigated the Triangle fire and tried to find ways to prevent future
occurrences.
--Production for World War I caused a crisis in workplace safety and health conditions. The
government created a Working Conditions Service to help states inspect plants and reduce
hazards.
--In the 1930's, as part of President Roosevelt's New Deal, additional laws increased the federal
government's role in job safety and health. But the federal role was mainly to provide service and
information to state governments. By the late1950's, the Federal-State partnership could no
longer deal with the growing workforce and increasing hazards. Additional federal laws were
enacted, but only covered certain industries.
--By the 1960's, 14,000 workers died every year and more than 2.2 million workers were not able
to work from injuries and illnesses.
Many thought that the only solution was a Federal law with the same rules and enforcement for
everyone. On December 29, 1970, President Nixon signed the OSH Act. This Act created
OSHA, the agency, which formally came into being on April 28, 1971. With the creation of
OSHA, for the first time, all employers in the United States had the legal responsibility to
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