Workplace safety regulations are in place to provide employees a safe and hazard free work environment. In work environment where dangers are present, workers must be educated and informed about all of the imminent and potential future damages that their employment can cause, and employers must take all necessary precautions to mitigate all risks. The Occupational Safety and Health Act substantially improved workplace safety regulations across the entire United States. The act created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is currently the federal authority on workplace safety procedures, policies, and codes. An employer violating any one of the detailed and comprehensive OSHA standards stands in danger of having their operation suspended pending civil, administrative, and potentially criminal penalties. Likewise, workers have the ability to privately report their workplace safety concerns to their local OSHA field office, which can investigate any worksite without notice. Retribution or retaliation against workers for exercising their legal rights to work in a safe work environment is also illegal and can lead to serious civil damages settlement or awards for victimized workers.