As Section 2 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) states, Congress identified the need and importance of protecting the workforce of American is of critical importance to our country’s success and the wellbeing of its citizens.
The OSH Act continues by declaring the purpose and policy and includes:
- the efforts of employers and employees to reduce workplace incidents are intertwined and must work together to achieve their common goal.
- providing the responsibilities to both the employer AND the employee to achieve a safe and healthful workplace
- sets the mandate for the Department of Labor to establish mandatory safety and health standards
- providing resources for research in the field of occupational safety and health
- exploring ways to reduce workplace illnesses
- providing medical criteria that no employee will suffer diminished capacity, health, or life expectancy as a result of work exposures and experiences
- providing training programs to increase the number and competency of employees
- development and promulgation of safety standards
- providing enforcement of adopted safety and health standards (OSHA, 1970)
I believe that when President Richard Nixon signed the OSH Act into law that he had great hopes for this new direction our country was taking and as we continue to breakdown the OSH Act, we will begin to see the clear direction that safety has taken.
References:
OSHA. (1970). OSH Act of 1970. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/oshact/completeoshact
