The Department of Labor (DOL) has released its strategic plan for 2010-2016 with the overall objective being "good jobs for everyone," in the words of Secretary Hilda Solis.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently held a Web chat to discuss its part in the DOL strategic plan, during which it characterized its overall plan in these words:
“OSHA is focusing on actively promoting safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by: setting and enforcing workplace safety and health standards; delivering effective enforcement; providing outreach, education and compliance assistance; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.”
More specifically, OSHA officials, including Administrator David Michaels, said they will seek to increase the agency’s enforcement and regulatory capabilities and make its presence more felt in the workplace.
The DOL budget has already risen twice during the Obama administration, and new investigators have been hired across the department, including OSHA. In addition, if the Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA) passes, new enforcement powers and increased fines and penalties will be available to OSHA.
In short, it’s a good idea to make sure your workplace is OSHA-compliant, not just in terms of posters displayed properly but also in having a safety plan in place. For the latter, you can rely on Personnel Concepts’ Emergency Action Program CD-ROM Plan Creator, which will generate your plan for you with a few keystrokes on your computer.
Why is OSHA not living the above?
Please reference OSHA’s Director of Technical Support and Emergency Management Mr Thomas Galassi’s May 27, 2010 letter to Dr Richard Coble. What Mr Galassi says in that letter totally violates and differs from what OSHA says in the above, and the reason is? Since Dr David Michaels was copied on that letter does he agree with Mr Galassi in this deviation from the above? Does Dr Coble explain this deviation adequately in his June 7, 2010 email to Mr Galassi that was copied to Mr Michaels and Mr Pasquet?
Is this now a Secretary of Labor issue?
Regards,
Richard Coble, PhD., American Institute of Constructors Elected Member (AIC), Certified Professional Constructor (CPC), state of Florida Certified General Contractor (CGC), state of Florida Certified Underground Contractor (CUC), American Society of Civil Engineers Construction Research Council Elected Member (ASCE-CRC), American Society of Civil Engineers Elected Member MASCE, American Arbitration Association-Arbitrator (AAA-Arbitrator), Salford University Visiting Professor, Indiana State Affiliate Research Professor