12/28/20 Richard Fairfax The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been in business for 50 years. Over the years, many agency programs worked well, some didn't work out so well, and others worked initially but never grew. One key OSHA program, Enforcement, has had a great deal of influence on workplace safety. In the 1970s, OSHA was driven by conducting inspections. The more inspections OSHA conducted, the more successful the agency was considered. In the early days, OSHA focused primarily on manufacturing. Most industry in this country was geared towards manufacturing, and there was a much higher percent of unionized employers.