OSHA Celebrates 50 Years of Workplace Safety

On December 29, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act to establish a Federal agency dedicated to worker safety within the Department of Labor. This landmark law also made employers responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees.

Five decades later, OSHA is celebrating its 50^th anniversary with a new webpage designed to highlight its major accomplishments through the years. OSHA plans to use the webpage to provide additional anniversary information throughout the year and announce special events.

How Worker Safety Became a Federal Priority

By April 28, 1971, the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was up and running to provide support for the American workforce. During its first decade, OSHA issued the first standards for asbestos, lead, carcinogens, and cotton dust. The OSHA Training Institute, On-Site Consultation Program, State Plans, and whistleblower protections for workplace safety were also established during this time.

Today, OSHA’s continues its role to ensure safe working conditions for employees by setting and enforcing comprehensive standards and providing training, education, and assistance. One recent landmark accomplishment includes OSHA’s fall protection campaign to address the number one cause of worker fatalities in the construction industry. The agency now issues standards for silica dust, cranes, confined spaces, and the classification and labeling of work-related chemicals.

New for 2020: OSHA Increases Penalty Amounts

In the January 15 Federal Register, OSHA announced increases for its civil penalties to comply with the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Now fines are as high as $134,937 for a willful violation. See the full list of increased penalties.

Since the passage of this law, OSHA has been authorized to raise civil penalties for work safety violations annually to match inflation. Before the 2015 Act, OSHA was exempted from the requirement to raise penalties on an annual basis.

Worker Safety Training Without the Downtime

Effective safety training is your best line of defense against workplace injuries that cost US businesses about $1,000,000,000 per week.

Lion's 10-Hour OSHA General Industry online training ensures employees are prepared to safely do the task at hand without having to leave the facility.

Lion’s online OSHA safety courses are reinforced with:

• Content and resources updated when regulations change
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• FAQ developed over 40 years of training experience
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Tags: anniversary, hazards, occupational safety, osha, safety, work place, worker safety, workplace hazards, workplace safety