Greta Jimenez
Environmental and occupational health is influenced by chemical, physical, radiological, and biological factors in the air, water, and soil. Health risks include injury, exposure to toxic radiation, and carcinogenic and teratogenic agents, which can lead to cancer, lung, and heart diseases. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for regulating and enforcing laws to protect air, water, and land from pollution, while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) ensures workplace safety standards, requiring employers to provide a hazard-free workplace and conduct training programs. Other agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also play a role in protecting public health. With the increasing awareness of environmental and occupational health risks, these agencies work to mitigate pollution and improve population health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Agency Name | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) |
| Purpose | To ensure workplace safety standards, requiring employers to provide a hazard-free workplace, conduct training programs, and report on-the-job injuries and illnesses |
| Responsibilities | Conducting workplace inspections, investigating incidents and close calls, identifying root causes, addressing shortcomings, communicating results, and preventing future occurrences |
| Data Sources | Equipment manuals, safety data sheets, inspection reports, injury and illness records, workers' compensation records, exposure monitoring results, and safety programs |
| Scope | Applicable to a wide variety of organizations, including energy, healthcare, and manufacturing industries |
| Enforcement | Requires employers to provide hazard information to employees and users of manufactured products |
| Collaboration | Works with other agencies like EPA, focusing on environmental protection and pollution control |
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What You'll Learn
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
OSHA's mission is to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for all working men and women. It does this by setting and enforcing standards, as well as providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. For example, OSHA requires employers to provide fall protection, prevent exposure to harmful chemicals, ensure the safety of workers who enter confined spaces, and provide respirators or other safety equipment.
OSHA also conducts workplace inspections to identify hazards and investigates injuries, illnesses, incidents, and close calls to determine their underlying causes and address any shortcomings in safety programs. These inspections have been shown to reduce injury rates and costs without negatively impacting employment, sales, or firm survival.
In addition, OSHA enforces whistleblower statutes and regulations and holds employers accountable for violations of workplace health and safety requirements. Temporary workers, for instance, must be treated like permanent employees, and both host and temporary employers are responsible for ensuring worker safety and health.
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Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a United States government agency that was founded in 1970. The EPA was created by the Richard Nixon administration, which made the environment a policy priority between 1969 and 1971. The EPA's mission is to protect human health and the environment. It does this by regulating and enforcing laws to protect air, water, and land from pollution, as well as sponsoring and conducting research, and developing and enforcing environmental regulations.
The EPA's work includes remediating contaminated sites and ensuring clean drinking water. The agency also plays a significant role in ecological management, with accomplishments in monitoring pollution in soil, water, and air; managing waste; and controlling and mitigating the negative impacts of accidents.
The EPA's work is carried out by a diverse group of employees, including engineers, scientists, environmental protection specialists, legal experts, public affairs specialists, financial analysts, and information technologists. The agency's staff have expressed a strong sense of purpose and excitement about their work, as they aim to address widespread concerns about pollution and clean up America's environment.
One notable example of the EPA's involvement in environmental protection is the case against Monsanto, in which the agency played a role in investigating claims related to glyphosate-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The EPA has also worked with the US Justice Department on pollution control litigation, targeting major steel companies responsible for the burning of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1969.
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Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a US federal government executive branch department created to protect the health of US citizens and provide essential human services. The department's motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America". HHS is administered by the secretary of health and human services, who is appointed by the US president with the advice and consent of the Senate. The secretary is assisted by a deputy secretary and seven assistant secretaries, who serve as top departmental administrators.
HHS oversees national health programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, and public health initiatives to improve overall well-being. The department's programs and services are administered by the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions, Operating Divisions, and Regional Offices. The FY2020 budget included a $1.276 billion budget decrease for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a $4.533 billion budget decrease for the National Institutes of Health, totalling a decrease of over $24 billion in revised discretionary budget authority.
The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (PHSCC), the uniformed service of the PHS, is led by the surgeon general. The surgeon general is responsible for addressing public health matters as authorized by the secretary or the assistant secretary for health, in addition to administering the Commissioned Corps.
Planned changes as part of the 2025 HHS reorganization include merging five existing agencies into a new Administration for a Healthy America, reorienting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention towards infectious disease programs, and breaking up the Administration for Community Living. The plan also proposes a reduction in the workforce totalling about 20,000 full-time employees, with the greatest relative reductions to the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a federal agency responsible for protecting public health by ensuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, and the nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. FDA also regulates the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of tobacco products to protect public health and prevent the use of such products by minors.
The FDA has a presence both within the United States, with several field offices, and internationally, with locations in China, India, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. The FDA's responsibilities are vast, overseeing $2.7 trillion in food, medical, and tobacco products.
The FDA's work is primarily carried out by the Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA), which acts as the agency's "eyes and ears". ORA is divided into five regions, further split into 20 districts, with each district containing a main office and several remote offices serving specific geographic areas. ORA also includes a network of regulatory laboratories that analyze physical samples, usually food-related, but some are equipped to analyze drugs, cosmetics, and radiation-emitting devices.
The Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) was established in 1991 to investigate criminal cases, employing around 200 Special Agents nationwide. OCI works with ORA investigators to develop the technical and scientific aspects of cases, and also receives cases from local agencies and the FBI. OCI investigators coordinate and conduct criminal investigations of suspected illegal activities involving FDA-regulated products.
The FDA also plays a role in counterterrorism and has a hand in speeding up innovations that make medical products safer and more effective and affordable.
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U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB)
The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) is an independent federal agency that investigates industrial chemical accidents. The CSB was established by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 and became operational in January 1998. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the CSB is composed of five members appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The board members serve five-year terms, and the President designates one of the members as chairperson, who serves as the chief executive officer and exercises administrative functions.
The primary role of the CSB is to conduct root cause investigations of chemical accidents at fixed industrial facilities. They identify the causes of incidents and share their findings across industries to prevent future occurrences. The CSB's investigations are thorough and include incident reconstructions, root cause analysis, and subsequent recommendations. Notably, the CSB's investigations are often accompanied by video form safety reports, narrated by Sheldon Smith and published on a public YouTube channel with a substantial subscriber base.
The CSB's investigations focus on identifying the conditions and circumstances that led to an accident, aiming to prevent similar events from happening again. They address underlying program shortcomings and communicate the results to managers, supervisors, and workers. The CSB's work is crucial in ensuring the health and safety of workers and the general population by reducing the risks associated with industrial chemical accidents.
The CSB plays a vital role in improving workplace safety, particularly in industries with hazardous chemicals. Their investigations contribute to the identification and mitigation of risks, the development of safety protocols, and the promotion of a culture that prioritizes health and safety. The CSB's efforts align with the broader goals of environmental health and safety (EHS) professionals, who work across various organizations to protect employees and the environment from health and safety risks.
In addition to the CSB, other government agencies, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), also play a crucial role in investigating health damage and pollution in the workplace. OSHA, for example, requires employers to provide a hazard-free workplace, conduct training programs, and report on-the-job injuries and illnesses. Together, the CSB and other agencies strive to create safer work environments and protect the well-being of workers.
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Frequently asked questions
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responsible for workplace safety standards. OSHA requires employers to provide a hazard-free workplace, conduct training programs, and report on-the-job injuries and illnesses.
Health damage can include injuries, illnesses, or even instant death caused by unsafe working conditions. Examples of unsafe working conditions include exposure to toxic radiation, carcinogenic and teratogenic agents, and hazardous substances.
The EPA regulates and enforces laws to protect air, water, and land from pollution to ensure environmental and human health. They set maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for pollutants, including organic, inorganic, biological, and radiological contaminants in water supplies.
EHS professionals are responsible for developing and enforcing policies to protect employees and the environment. They also maintain records of compliance activities and address risks brought on by noncompliance.
Workplace pollution can refer to the contamination of air, water, or soil by biological, chemical, or physical agents. For example, the use of chemicals in the workplace can lead to pollution if not properly controlled and managed.
