Which U.S. agency was created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to enforce workplace-safety standards?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to enforce workplace-safety standards in the United States.

The law was signed by President Richard Nixon on December 29, 1970, and OSHA began operating in April 1971. Its mission is to assure safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards, conducting inspections, and educating employers and workers.

OSHA is part of the U.S. Department of Labor. It covers most private-sector employers and workers, along with some public-sector employees through state plans. It does not administer the federal minimum wage; that responsibility belongs mainly to the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. OSHA also differs from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, which researches workplace hazards rather than enforcing OSHA standards.