Which agency is primarily responsible for enforcing health and safety regulations in U.S. workplaces?

• A. EPA
• B. OSHA
• C. FDA
• D. CPSC

Answer: (B)

The main idea is identifying who enforces health and safety rules in U.S. workplaces. The agency that handles this is OSHA—the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Its mandate comes from the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and it sets mandatory safety standards, conducts inspections, and issues citations or penalties when employers don’t comply. OSHA also offers training, outreach, and assistance to help employers protect workers from injuries and illnesses.

Other agencies handle different areas: the EPA deals with environmental protections which can affect workplace safety in areas like hazardous waste, but it isn’t the primary body for everyday workplace safety enforcement; the FDA regulates foods, drugs, and cosmetics; the CPSC oversees consumer product safety. So OSHA is the agency most directly responsible for enforcing health and safety regulations in workplaces.