The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established in 1970 in response to the lack of national laws regulating workplace safety and health hazards in the United States. Prior to the establishment of OSHA, there were no federal standards in place to protect workers from hazards in the workplace, and workers often faced dangerous and unhealthy conditions on the job. OSHA was created to address this problem by establishing and enforcing standards for workplace safety and health, and by providing education and assistance to employers and workers. The agency's mission is to ensure that all workers in the United States have safe and healthy working conditions and to reduce the number of workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.