The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency that ensures safe and healthy working conditions for American workers. Established in 1970 and signed by Richard Nixon, OSHA sets and enforces safety standards, provides training, and protects workers from retaliation when they report unsafe conditions. Its mission is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities by creating a national system of worker safety and health protections.
NOSHA takes aim at federal oversight
Arizona Congressman Andy Biggs introduced the “Nullify Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act” (NOSHA Act) in 2021 and reintroduced it in 2025. The bill aims to abolish OSHA, arguing that individual states and private employers should manage workplace safety rather than a federal agency.
Impact on workers’ compensation
If the NOSHA Act becomes law and OSHA gets abolished, it could significantly affect workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation is a system that provides financial benefits to employees who get injured or become ill due to their jobs. OSHA is crucial in reducing workplace injuries and illnesses by setting national safety standards and ensuring compliance through penalties and inspections. Without OSHA, the responsibility for workplace safety would shift entirely to individual states, leading to a patchwork of different safety regulations.
Abolishing federal safety regulations could lead to several major issues:
- Increased workplace hazards: Without federal oversight, some companies might prioritize cost-cutting over safety, leading to more hazardous working conditions, particularly in states with less stringent safety guidelines.
- Higher premiums: More workplace accidents could increase workers’ compensation premiums.
- Legal and financial challenges: Employers operating in multiple states would face compliance confusion, potentially increasing their liability exposure.
- Fragmented safety standards: A lack of uniform safety regulations could create disparities in worker protections across different states.
This bill could cause problems for both employers and employees.
Workers have a right to safety protections
Workers have a fundamental right to a safe workplace. Federal law entitles employees to work in conditions free from known health and safety hazards. OSHA ensures that employers provide the necessary safety equipment, training and protection against toxic chemicals. If OSHA is abolished, it is crucial to remember that workers still deserve these protections and support if the job causes injury or illness. Ensuring workplace safety is not just a legal obligation but a moral one, essential for the well-being of all workers.
In Massachusetts, state laws provide strong protections for workers, ensuring they have safe working conditions and access to workers’ compensation if they are injured. Still, the loss of federal oversight will place additional burdens upon state officials. Workers with questions about how NOSHA could affect them can contact a law firm that helps workers with their workers’ comp claims.