OSHA is an acronym for the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, a regulatory agency under the Department of Labor. OSHA was created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (codified at 29 USC §§651-678) with the mission to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for workers by setting and enforcing workplace safety standards for employers.
OSHA is administered by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, who reports to the Secretary of Labor. OSHA has five policy directorates:
- Administrative Programs
- Cooperative and State Programs
- Standards and Guidance
- Technical Support and Emergency Management, and
- Whistleblower Protection Programs
In service of its mission, OSHA conducts workplace inspections, provides health and safety trainings, and operates whistleblower programs to ensure compliance. OSHA regulations cover a range of topics including sanitation, hazardous materials, air quality, injury reporting, workplace violence, and wages and hours worked.
OSHA is responsible for regulating most private sector employers, except for the self-employed and employers regulated by another federal agency (e.g. mining). OSHA regulations also cover some public sector employees in states with OSHA-approved programs and at federal agencies.
[Last updated in July of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team]