Why Government Requires Safety Labeling
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) aims to ensure employee safety and health
in the United States by working with employers and employees to create better working environments.
Since its inception in 1971, OSHA has helped to cut workplace fatalities by more than 60 percent and
occupational injury and illness rates by 40 percent. At the same time, U.S. employment has increased
from 56 million employees at 3.5 million worksites to more than 135 million employees at 8.9 million
sites.
One way OSHA helps business and organizations develop safe workplaces is through standards requiring
proper labeling and hazard identification. Adequate safety labeling saves lives, and is a primary
concern of OSHA.