In 1970 congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. This act requires employers to provide workplaces to be free from serious recognized hazards and to comply with occupational safety and health standards. As a result OSHA was made to give employees the right to a safe and healthful workplace. OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The mission of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is to save lives, prevent injuries, and protect the health of America's workers.
             Since 1970 OSHA has grown to 2100 inspectors, complaint discrimination, investigators, engineers, physicians, educators, standards writers, and other technical and support personnel spread over more than 200 offices throughout the country. OSHA needs so many different agencies to account for the 100 million working men and women who work for six and a half million employers. Since 1970 workplace fatalities have been reduced by half. Occupational injury and illness rates have been declining for the past six years. Even with this decline there are still 50 American workers that are injured every minute of the 40 hour work week and almost 17 die every day. This averages out to about 6000 people a year. When OSHA was established in 1970 there were about 15000 work-related fatalities each year. The Department of Labor which conducts the OSHA inspections wants Americans workforce t feel safe at their workplace. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act workers have rights. These rights include the right to request an inspection, have a representative present at the inspection, have dangerous substances identified, be informed about exposure to hazards, and have employer violations posted at the worksite.
             One of the main areas that OSHA is trying to minimize for injuries is musculosketal disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders cost the United States about 50 billion annually. Employers pay between ...