OSHA introduction

Occupational Safety and Health Act

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) of 1970 was put into law on December 29, 1970 by President Richard Nixon. The goal of the act was for employers to deliver a workplace free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees. Although this movement has called increasing attention to the importance of preventing casualties, the law has promised much more than it has actually delivered. Eight-five percent of the funds for health and safety are still spent by private businesses and insurance carriers. Almost all of the professional specialists in health and safety are directly employed by businesses. Between 1958 and 1971, the number of dangerous chemical compounds rose from 17,000 to 47,000. Only 500 of those compounds are recognized by OSHA regulations as existing hazardous substance. Thousands of known and unknown toxic chemicals
lack exposure standards.

Before OSHA came into existence people in all sorts of jobs were becoming ill or dying due to poor standards of health and safety in the work place. Men in asbestos factories were being exposed to developing asbestosis, and no care was taken to prevent this. Men in mines were being exposed to black lung and nothing was done to help prevent this from happening. Women in sewing factories worked in building with doors that opened the wrong way with emergency exits and walkways blocked. Fires came through these buildings and killed hundreds of immigrant workers because they were unable to reach the emergency exits. Again, no care was taken to prevent these disasters from happening.

Today, with the existence of OSHA, it is said it is far more accepted that people are killed by slow-developing occupational diseases than by work accidents. It is estimated that out of approximately 138,594 citations issued, the total amount of $83,158,232.57 is issued in fines. That is an average of $600.00 per citation issued. Many employers will not report a hazard or an injury in the workplace if they can get away with it. Many times the employee who is injured receives the brunt end of this decision by the employer. Since OSHA was created, workplace incidents have been cut in half and occupational injury and illness has declined forty percent.

Things may be looking up know, but one thing to consider is the future of the working environment. With the rising cost of energy, there is likely to be a harmful effect on working conditions. Factory owners may be forced to make their employees work harder and faster to preserve their profit margins. The most important tasks for the Occupation Health movement in the near future should be the preservation of legal rights and the building of new institutions to support the struggles of workers in the shops.

After researching what working conditions were like for immigrants before OSHA, it is easy to see that many improvements have been made. People are no longer forced to work in sweatshops and only get paid $1.00 an hour or week. There are clearly marked and easily accessible emergency exits. There are first-aid kits in workplaces, and people are allowed to leave work and go the hospital if necessary. With all these improvements, there is still room for more. Employers and employees need to be educated as to what is safe and not safe in the work place. Some people legitimately don’t know while others do know and try to cover it up. With every new day comes new changes, and with every new change comes new dangers. Of all the organizations out there, OSHA needs to be the one who is aware of all the changes in the environment. With all the new technology and science, who knows what someone will come up with next. OSHA needs to be prepared for whatever is going to come there way.

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