OSHA Begins to Refocus on Enforcement Activities
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OSHA Begins to Refocus on Enforcement Activities
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We mentioned this a few months ago but its worth repeating and providing an update or two. . .
President Obama put together a report on the upcoming budget and it had some very interesting things to say about the OSHA budget. In particular here is what the report says:
"For the past eight years, the Department's labor law enforcement agencies have struggled with growing workloads and shrinking staff. The President's Budget seeks to reverse this trend. The Budget will increase funding for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, enabling it to vigorously enforce workplace safety laws and ensure the safety and health of American workers"
On February 17, 2009 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law by President Obama. The Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression, and includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.
Well what does this have to do with OSHA?
OSHA role is to ensure that worker protection laws are enforced as recovery infrastructure investments are carried out.
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What This Means For Employers and Their Recordkeeping Responsibilities
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How will OSHA carry out these responsibilities - after all this will cost more money right?
Well thanks to new budgets OSHA is looking at a $27 million increase over previous years budgets and requires OSHA to improve its tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses.
This last sentence is interesting - "requires OSHA to improve its tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses".
The funding increase also contains a $52 million increase for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which is aimed at improving the reporting of workplace injury statistics.
Look for OSHA to shortly announce a National Emphasis Program (NEP) on OSHA Injury & Illness Recordkeeping. This NEP is the result of heat OSHA's been taking from a number of corners including a GAO report initiated by Senator Kennedy.
We'll be talking more about this on our blog in September so stay tuned. . .
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Bad Performers Beware: Severe Violators Inspection Program (SVIP)
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Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab announced a new program named the Severe Violators Inspection Program (SVIP) at a recent House Subcommittee in April.
"Some changes under consideration for the program include mandatory -- not recommended -- follow-up inspections, more inspections of other establishments of an identified company, and additional enhanced settlement provisions," Barab continued "The new program will include a more intensive examination of an employer's history for systemic problems that would trigger additional mandatory inspections".
He also told the House subcommittee that he's suspended the practice of setting goals for new VPP sites and Alliances to direct OSHA's resources instead to enforcement.
This new program is a welcome additional to OSHA's arsenal directed to the bad performers -
The question is:
Are you on the list (or will you land on it in the future) and what will you do to stay off the list?
OSHA Begins to Refocus on Enforcement Activities
=========================================
We mentioned this a few months ago but its worth repeating and providing an update or two. . .
President Obama put together a report on the upcoming budget and it had some very interesting things to say about the OSHA budget. In particular here is what the report says:
"For the past eight years, the Department's labor law enforcement agencies have struggled with growing workloads and shrinking staff. The President's Budget seeks to reverse this trend. The Budget will increase funding for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, enabling it to vigorously enforce workplace safety laws and ensure the safety and health of American workers"
On February 17, 2009 the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was signed into law by President Obama. The Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression, and includes measures to modernize our nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.
Well what does this have to do with OSHA?
OSHA role is to ensure that worker protection laws are enforced as recovery infrastructure investments are carried out.
===========================================================
What This Means For Employers and Their Recordkeeping Responsibilities
===========================================================
How will OSHA carry out these responsibilities - after all this will cost more money right?
Well thanks to new budgets OSHA is looking at a $27 million increase over previous years budgets and requires OSHA to improve its tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses.
This last sentence is interesting - "requires OSHA to improve its tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses".
The funding increase also contains a $52 million increase for the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which is aimed at improving the reporting of workplace injury statistics.
Look for OSHA to shortly announce a National Emphasis Program (NEP) on OSHA Injury & Illness Recordkeeping. This NEP is the result of heat OSHA's been taking from a number of corners including a GAO report initiated by Senator Kennedy.
We'll be talking more about this on our blog in September so stay tuned. . .
=========================================================
Bad Performers Beware: Severe Violators Inspection Program (SVIP)
=========================================================
Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab announced a new program named the Severe Violators Inspection Program (SVIP) at a recent House Subcommittee in April.
"Some changes under consideration for the program include mandatory -- not recommended -- follow-up inspections, more inspections of other establishments of an identified company, and additional enhanced settlement provisions," Barab continued "The new program will include a more intensive examination of an employer's history for systemic problems that would trigger additional mandatory inspections".
He also told the House subcommittee that he's suspended the practice of setting goals for new VPP sites and Alliances to direct OSHA's resources instead to enforcement.
This new program is a welcome additional to OSHA's arsenal directed to the bad performers -
The question is:
Are you on the list (or will you land on it in the future) and what will you do to stay off the list?
Labels: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Jordan Barab, OSHA Injury and Illness Recordkeeping, Severe Violators Inspection Program, SVIP
posted by David A. Casavant @ 1:01 AM
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