Since 1971, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) has been responsible for developing and enforcing workplace safety and health regulations. OSHA’s mission is to “assure safe and healthful conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.” Since OSHA’s inception, workplace fatalities have decreased 65%, from 38 deaths a day to 14, while injury and illness rates have dropped 67%. In 2018, 5,250 workers died on the job, including 887 from fatal falls. Most of the debate about OSHA centers on the cost of its regulations versus the actual benefit in reduced worker injury, illness and death. However, studies have found the costs of compliance with OSHA rules are often overestimated by both OSHA and the industries it regulates.

Some question OSHA’s effectiveness because the maximum penalty it can levy against safety violators is 6 months in jail. During nearly 50 years of OSHA’s existence, it has only secured a total of 12 criminal convictions. Advocates claim we need to revise OSHA’s laws to make it a felony to willfully commit a safety violation that results in the injury or death of a worker.

Pending Legislation: H.R.2876 - Protecting America’s Workers Act
Sponsor: Rep. Joe Courtney (CT)
Status: House Committee on Education and Labor.
Chair: Rep. Bobby Scott (VA)

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