Osha Safety Workplace Occupational Businesses People Money Eslpod

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the part of the U.S. government that tries to keep workers safe. "Occupational safety" is safety related to the "workplace," or where people work. OSHA was created in 1971. According to its website, since then, it has "'cut' (reduced) workplace 'fatalities' (deaths) by more than 60 percent and occupational injury and illness rates by 40 percent."

OSHA focuses on strong and "fair" (treating everyone equally) "enforcement" (the ways that its makes sure people and organizations are following its rules). OSHA tries to help businesses improve their occupational safety. It "allocates" (spends money for a specific purpose) most of its money and efforts on the businesses that have the most hazards, injuries, and fatalities. For example, in 2006 almost 60 percent of OSHA's inspections were in the "construction" (building) industry, where there are many occupational safety hazards.

OSHA also focuses on "prevention," doing things to not let injuries happen. It does this through education and "outreach" (communicating with a large number of people). OSHA has a website and a "hotline" (a phone number that people can call for information at any time) with information about common workplace hazards and how they can be "mitigated" (reduced). OSHA also offers free workplace "consultations," where businesses can ask OSHA employees to come to their business, and help them identify and mitigate occupational safety hazards.

When OSHA inspections "reveal" (show) violations of safety standards, OSHA works with the businesses to fix those problems. However, sometimes there are "willful violations," where the employer knew about the safety problem but didn't change the way that things were done. When an OSHA inspection reveals a willful violation, the business is "fined" (has to pay money to the government) between $5,000 and $70,000.