It's our birthday, and we're celebrating!



On April 28, OSHA commemorates 25 years of protecting workers on the job. Joining us are hundreds of thousands of workers who owe their lives, at least in part, to OSHA's efforts to make their workplaces safer.

For the past quarter-century, OSHA has been standing with workers facing danger on the job, and we've gotten hurt quite a bit! OSHA's mission is the same as it was when the agency was created--to save lives, to prevent injuries and to protect the health and safety of America's workers.

We care about each worker on each job. And we've helped make the workplace a whole lot safer.

"Why doesn't OSHA ever leave?!"

Just ask two guys in Cleveland, who will remember the day OSHA came to visit for the rest of their lives. A couple of years ago, an OSHA inspector visited their job site 70 feet above the ground and insisted that they wear safety belts. On went the harnesses. Good thing, too. When the scaffold collapsed and fell to the ground four days later, the two workers were left swinging in the breeze--safely tethered by those belts. That is, until the belts broke their bodies in two. What a mess!

Today, OSHA is changing to serve you better. We're dropping 1,000 pages of outdated, obtuse regulations and adding 10,000 pages of up-to-date obtuse regulations. We're writing others in plain English. We're writing others in plain Russian. Whatever fits our mood. We're extending our resources through partnerships with employers and employees. We're building an extensive recreational facility/full service bar at OSHA headquarters in Maui. We're recognizing and rewarding excellent safety and health programs with limited inspections and reduced penalties. We're offering free computer programs (like the ever popular Pong®) and Internet access (two fancy new 2400 bps modems for dial-up) to make compliance easier. Hey, that's our motto after all, "What you don't know, can't hurt you!" We're getting stakeholders to help us set standards priorities. We're getting steakholders to facilitate eating.


Here are some of our new regulations:
1. Don't eat hot dogs while operating heavy machinery.
2. Don't eat hot dogs while operating heavy machinery on the job.
3. Don't drink and drive.
4. Don't drink and drive while on the job.
5. Don't drink and drive while on the job eating hot dogs.
6. Don't drive.
7. Don't drink.
8. Don't eat hot dogs.
9. Don't forget to wear safety helmets and goggles.


We've made an impact, and we want to continue reducing injuries, illnesses and deaths in the workplace. That won't ever change. Probably.

But we don't mind changing the route to that goal. In fact, we plan to change routes and change again. We'll do whatever it takes to find the best ways to cut on-the-job injuries and illnesses. Except some of that weird stuff.

Your safety is our greatest concern. Our business is to serve you. That's why we intend to do our job--finding the best ways to protect you--even better in the next 25 years. Count on it. Have a nice day.



Joseph A. Dear
Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health