- Between 2007 and 2008, nonfatal occupational injuries declined from 4 million cases to just over 3.7 million cases. More than half of the injured employees required either further medical care, days out of work, or light duty due to injury. In 2007, 5,657 workers died from injuries sustained in the workplace. In 2008, this number dropped to 5,071. Preliminary numbers for 2009 show a bigger drop, although analysts believe this may be due in part to fewer Americans in the workforce, and a higher unemployment rate.
- In the late 1800s, states began passing laws allowing employees to sue their employers for care of occupational injuries. This was the first step in a process that led to Maryland's 1902 worker's compensation legislation, and similar regulation in almost every state. Worker's compensation and state safety regulations helped persuade companies to provide safer workplaces, but there were no general federal regulations for another half-century. In 1970, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, creating the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA was charged with ensuring that risks to employee safety and wellbeing were as minimal as possible in all occupations. OSHA immediately began researching workplace dangers, and quickly established safety standards for construction, maritime and general industry occupations. Then, it began educating workers about their rights, inspecting for possible violations and issuing citations.
- With the exception of the self-employed and those employed by immediate family members in agricultural endeavors, all U.S. employees are protected by some form of workplace safety regulation. Most are covered by OSHA, although 21 states and Puerto Rico have OSHA-approved state plans that are more stringent than OSHA regulations. In addition, some occupations are covered by their own federal safety organizations such as the Coast Guard, Federal Aviation Administration, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.
- OSHA also protects employees from "serious recognized hazards" in the workplace, making it mandatory that employers require, and in some cases provide, safety equipment such as hearing protection and hard hats. Employees have the right to report possible OSHA violations, and are protected from employer retaliation. Additionally, all employers with more than 10 employees must have a written emergency action plan (EAP) in case of severe weather, natural disaster, terrorist attack or other foreseeable emergency.
- OSHA offers regular training for employers and workers, and enforces regulations on workplace safety through inspections. A company may request an inspection to ensure it is following all regulations, or an employee may report potentially unsafe conditions and OSHA will inspect the workplace. If an employee is hurt, or violations are found, citations may be issued and fines levied.
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