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Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. -- Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Greetings
From the Assistant Secretary of Labor
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.


Welcome to OSHA!

Since Congress created this Agency through the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the impact of OSHA has been remarkable. In a little more than a third of a century, the rate of workplace fatalities has declined by more than 60 percent and occupational injury and illness rates have dropped 40 percent. At the same time, U.S. employment has doubled and now includes nearly 111 million employees at 7.2 million work sites.

Although this significant improvement in saving lives and protecting employees' safety and health is a considerable achievement, greater progress is still needed. Even one fatality on the job is one too many, and every workplace injury and illness places a heavy burden on our nation.

Not only is providing a safe and healthful workplace required by law, it also makes good business sense. Employers who invest in workplace safety and health to protect their employees also find that it lowers their workers' compensation premiums, increases productivity, and reduces employee turnover. Effective safety and health management systems help to improve an employer's competitiveness in this age of globalization.

OSHA's Web site contains a wealth of free resources to help small businesses, large employers, and employees in all industries to improve their safety and health performance. I invite you to explore the lifesaving information on our Safety & Health Topics pages, our eTools, and our extensive range of publications. Explore the Web links on our home page for information designed for small businesses, our guidance documents to prepare for Pandemic Flu, our Hurricane eMatrix guide to help protect disaster response and recovery crews, and the Spanish language version of the Web site, OSHA en Español.

You will also discover how many of OSHA's cooperative programs help employers to protect their employees. Everyone is encouraged to consider the excellent training courses offered through the OSHA Training Institute and the OSHA Education Centers located throughout the United States. OSHA courses are the gold standard for occupational safety and health training.

The more you learn about OSHA, the more you will see how OSHA accomplishes its mission by adding value to business, work and life.

Speeches
OSHA's Mission


 
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Page last updated: 10/02/2006