What is the primary purpose of OSHA?

The primary purpose of OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is to ensure safe and healthy working conditions by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. This federal agency was established to protect workers from hazardous conditions and ensure their rights to a safe environment. Through its regulations and oversight, OSHA aims to minimize workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities, creating a safer environment for all employees.

The other choices, while relevant to public health and safety, fall outside OSHA's primary mission. Monitoring water quality is typically under the jurisdiction of environmental protection agencies. Managing chemical waste often falls to environmental regulatory bodies rather than OSHA. Likewise, regulating pesticide usage is handled by agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Each of these areas focuses on specific environmental or health concerns but does not encompass the broader workplace safety focus that defines OSHA's role.