The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970 provides the basic legal framework for protecting most U.S. workers. Under the act, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has the responsibility to set and enforce safety and health standards to protect workers against job hazards.

Since passage of the act, workplace fatality rates and workplace injury rates have declined. But serious problems remain. Millions of workers have no OSH Act protections, enforcement of the OSHA program has weakened, and safety and health standards need to be updated.

The Protecting America's Workers Act would strengthen OSHA by expanding coverage to uncovered workers, enhancing whistleblower protections and increasing penalties for serious, willful and criminal violations.