Explain the role of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA). Provide examples of improvements that have been made in
occupational settings as a result of OSHA. What are some of the factors that limit the
effectiveness of these regulations? Are similar regulatory agencies found in other developed
and developing countries?
The OSHA program entails an American regulatory entity created by the Occupation Safety and
Health Act of 1970 to help workers and their employers minimize incidents related to illnesses,
injuries, and mortality rates acquired on the job. Since its inception, OSHA has facilitated the
reduction of occupational injuries and illnesses, while improving employment at different
worksites and organizational settings (OSHA, 2019). As such, OSHA’s main role entails the
provision of leadership guidelines in occupational safety and health across the nation. It further
seeks to identify and share advocate the most effective strategies that would facilitate the
prevention of work-related fatalities. Moreover, the promotion of workplace safety and health
drives OSHA towards the encouragement of the employees and the organization, in general, to
minimize hazardous events and further implement management systems or focus on the
improvement of their existing programs (OSHA, 2019).
As a result, some of the improvement that have been made in occupational settings based
on OSHA’s role and functions include the promotion of safe and healthful environments through
cooperative programs that include the Voluntary Protection Programs and OSHA’s strategic
Alliances and Partnerships (OSHA, 2019). Similarly, OSHA has ensured that employers and
organizations alike establish training programs geared towards the increment of competency with
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regards to health and well-being in work environments. Nevertheless, some of the factors that
limit the effectiveness of these regulations include failure to cover all aspects related to workers
and their employees (OSHA, 2019). For instance, the OSHA does not incorporate coverage to
self-employed individuals, members of a nuclear family of farmers who fail to include
employees from other communities, and those working for the state and local governments
(Okoye, 2018). Despite these and other hindrances, OSHA has set the pace for other developed
and developing countries through the implementation of similar regulatory agencies that
safeguard the welfare of employees in work environments and settings.
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References
Okoye, P. U. (2018). Occupational Health and Safety Risk Levels of Building Construction
Trades in Nigeria. Construction Economics and Building, 18(2), 92-109.
OSHA. (2019). Department of Industrial Relations Division of Occupational Safety and Health.