The Occupational Safety and Health Act at 50—A Labor Perspective

摘要

In 1970, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), with the goal of providing workers a safe and healthful place to work. The law did not just happen—it took decades of struggles by unions and workers and only came following workplace and environmental tragedies, part of a wave of federal legislation to protect workers, the public, and the environment from harm. And like many of the laws enacted at the time, it was based upon a foundation of setting and enforcing protective standards, with the federal government—in this case the Department of Labor—given the responsibility to carry out the law in collaboration with the states. In addition, the OSH Act gave workers and their representatives important new rights, including filing complaints, requesting onsite inspections, accessing information, and seeking new protective standards.