On December 29, 1970, the U.S. Congress passed the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSH Act). The basics for this legislation stated that “each employee shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” (Hinze, 1997, pp.1-2).

Also, United Kingdom legislators passed the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 (HSW), which places a duty upon employers to provide information, training, instruction, and supervision needed for the protection and health of employees at work. Once the European Union (EU) was established, there was a desire to adopt the United Kingdom’s guidelines on workplace safety.

This adopted safety philosophy, called the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EASHW), aims to make Europe’s workplaces safe, healthier, and more productive.