Why did we need OSHA and the OSH Act?

As a safety professional and expert witness, I’m often called upon to evaluate workplace incidents, analyze contributing factors, and explain to juries, judges, and attorneys what went wrong — and why. One recurring theme in nearly every case is that the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act, signed into law in 1970, was not just a regulatory milestone; it was a response to a crisis that had been decades in the making.

The State of Worker Safety Before the OSH Act

Before OSHA existed, workplace safety in the United States was inconsistent at best and catastrophic at worst. Employers were largely left to self-regulate, and there were few enforceable standards to protect workers from injury or death.

• In 1970 alone, approximately 14,000 workers died on the job — an average of 38 deaths per day.

• Nearly 2.5 million workers suffered disabling injuries annually.

• High-risk industries like construction, manufacturing, and mining faced especially grim realities, but even office environments lacked basic protections.

Employers had wide discretion in determining what “safe” meant, and many prioritized productivity and profit over worker welfare. Some states had safety regulations, but they varied wildly and were poorly enforced. The result was a patchwork system where worker safety depended more on geography than science or best practices.

The Human Cost That Couldn’t Be Ignored

When I review historical accident reports as part of my expert witness work, I see patterns that are eerily similar to those I encounter today — falls from unguarded heights, toxic chemical exposures, trench collapses, machinery entanglements, and electrical electrocutions.

The difference is that before the OSH Act, there was no consistent enforcement mechanism. Even when a company repeatedly exposed workers to life-threatening hazards, there were few meaningful consequences. For many families, a workplace accident didn’t just cost a loved one — it plunged them into financial ruin.

Congress couldn’t ignore the mounting evidence. Unions, worker advocacy groups, and public health officials pushed for federal intervention, arguing that workplace safety needed to be a national priority, not a local option.

How the OSH Act Changed Everything

The OSH Act fundamentally reshaped workplace safety in the United States. It created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and gave it the authority to:

• Set and enforce safety standards

• Conduct inspections and issue citations for violations

• Investigate workplace accidents and fatalities

• Provide training, outreach, and education for employers and workers

Most importantly, it established that workers have a right to a safe workplace — a concept we now take for granted but that was revolutionary in 1970.

As an expert witness, I frequently see cases where compliance with OSHA standards could have prevented catastrophic injuries. In fact, in many litigation scenarios, OSHA’s regulations form the foundation for determining negligence. Without these clear, enforceable standards, proving employer responsibility would be far more difficult.

Why It Still Matters Today

Even with the OSH Act in place, workplace fatalities still occur — roughly 5,000 workers die each year in the U.S., and hundreds of thousands more suffer injuries and illnesses. That’s why OSHA’s role remains critical.

From my perspective as a safety professional:

• OSHA provides the framework employers need to systematically identify and mitigate hazards.

• Standards evolve as technology, science, and work environments change, ensuring ongoing relevance.

• Accountability exists where none did before; employers can no longer hide behind ignorance or outdated practices.

Without the OSH Act, the gaps in safety practices would be wider, and far more workers would be harmed or killed simply for doing their jobs.

The OSH Act wasn’t just about regulations — it was about acknowledging that human life has value and that no worker should have to choose between earning a paycheck and going home safely.

As an expert witness, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when safety is treated as optional. The OSH Act ensures that safety is a legal requirement and not a corporate courtesy. It has saved countless lives and continues to serve as the foundation for modern workplace protections.