ABSTRACT
Prior to 1970, it became apparent that the proliferation of injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the workplace was not being taken serious by employers as well as others. This basically forced the federal government to act. This is why in 1970, Congress enacted the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHAct) to protect workers from workplace hazards. This law requires companies and businesses to develop workplaces free from hazards with the intention of protecting the American workforce. A product of the OSHAct was the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federal agency that has approximately 2,200 inspectors to protect the safety and health of 130 million employees. Following the OSHA standards leads to safer workplaces and has improved productivity and profit for US industries.
