New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, established rules and regulations governing health and safety standards in American workplaces. In the mid-seventies, the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) funded several educational programs under the auspices of Cornell University's Labor Studies Program. These programs increased health and safety consciousness among health care professionals. Out of these programs, a group of individuals organized NYCOSH in 1976 as an independent organization to advocate safe and healthy workplaces. NYCOSH began as a strictly volunteer organization which solicited membership from labor unions and individuals. Initially, NYCOSH's budget consisted of funds collected in member dues. Eventually, NYCOSH began supplementing its budget with grant monies from city, state, and federal offices as well as well as private foundation grants.

NYCOSH provided four basic services for its members: technical support, educational services, political education, and a task force addressing the special needs of minority workers. By 1979, NYCOSH was firmly established. Many issues addressed by NYCOSH became continuous concerns for the organization. Ronald Reagan's election in 1980 represented a serious threat to OSHA legislation. Numerous other COSH organization, environmental organizations, other politically oriented groups, and unions, joined NYCOSH, forming a national coalition to fight attempts to weaken OSHA legislation. NYCOSH played a major role coordinating what would become the Committee to Save OSHA and efforts to persuade federal officials, senators and congressmen that OSHA must be maintained as it was and, in the future, strengthened.

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