Which of the following actions was not authorized by the OSHA Act?

The selection of the action that was not authorized by the OSHA Act relates to the scope and intent of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) legislation, which primarily aims to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for employees. The OSHA Act was designed to empower federal agencies, particularly OSHA itself, with the authority to create and enforce workplace safety regulations.

An effective enforcement program, reporting procedures, and research are all integral components of OSHA's mission. The enforcement program involves inspections and compliance measures to ensure that employers follow safety standards. Reporting procedures allow incidents and concerns regarding workplace safety to be documented and addressed, fostering a culture of safety and accountability. Research conducted under OSHA can help identify workplace hazards and develop safety guidelines based on empirical evidence.

In contrast, the authorization for the Secretary of the Interior to set mandatory standards is not within the scope of the OSHA Act. The authority to establish workplace safety regulations and standards primarily lies with OSHA and the Secretary of Labor, not the Secretary of the Interior. This delineation of authority is crucial for maintaining the specific focus of OSHA on occupational safety and health issues across different industries.