All You Need To Know About The Occupational Safety & Health Administration

A New York construction worker falls from a ladder and suffers a traumatic brain injury. A Bronx highway worker is struck by a car while filling potholes and is paralyzed from the waist down. A Brooklyn worker is killed when a crane collapses. In all of these on-the-job New York, construction accidents, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) will come to the work site and investigate. But what exactly does this federal agency do, and how do they work to prevent New York construction accidents and injuries?

An offshoot of the Department of Labor, the OSHA was created in 1971 in an attempt to prevent on-the-job injuries, deaths, and illnesses and promote worker safety, work site regulations, and employer accountability. The OSHA is responsible for outlining government regulations for most private businesses – regulations that are aimed at preventing worker injuries, accidents, and repetitive conditions, and diseases. In the construction sector, for example, the OSHA has regulations regarding scaffolding, ladders, safety equipment, and heavy machinery. The OSHA also spends a significant amount of time and funds inspecting work sites for safety issues.

In addition to drawing up federal regulations to keep workers safe, the OSHA also investigates all significant workplace accidents and incidents in an attempt to better understand the nature of on-the-job injuries. If they find than an employer did not comply with federal regulations, they have the power to fine the company and even apply criminal penalties.