History of OSHA

As the United States grew, industries produced more goods and built more structures and transit systems. Along with this growth came the need for more workers, and along with these workers came more injuries, illnesses, and deaths. As a recap, here are some of the statistics related to mid-1800s railway production - when there were no regulations in place to protect workers or ensure their safety - as manufacturing and production boomed in the United States:

• In 1890, there were approximately 750,000 railroad employees.
• In 1910, there were approximately 1,699,000 railroad employees.
• Between 1902 and 1911 there were 33,761 employee deaths and 403,259 employee injuries.

Legislators realized that measures needed to be taken. One of the first measures was the creation of tort law, which essentially establishes the idea of employer responsibility and liability. Tort law played a significant role in legally protecting worker safety and in holding employers accountable.

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