Terrorism & OSHA: Is Guarding Workers Against a Terrorist Attack a Legal Obligation?

"Typically, OSHA works with employers at sites they control. They usually know what the hazards are, and it's a matter of ensuring that workers are protected against these risks. Terrorism is a completely different case. The hazards are not endemic to the workplace. They are unexpected and may be unknown.… That changes the climate."

— John L. Henshaw, Former OSHA Director, from a speech to the American Postal Workers Union, January 11, 2002

Terrorism isn't usually thought of as a workplace health and safety issue. But the terrorist threat permeates all aspects of our lives, including work. We're especially vulnerable when we're working—whether we're actually in the workplace or commuting to and from it:

• Many of the victims who died in the recent attacks on the subways and buses of London met their fate while on their way to work.