US Department of Labor assistant secretary testifies before Congress on OSHA state plan states' occupational safety and health programs

US Department of Labor assistant secretary testifies before Congress on OSHA
state plan states' occupational safety and health programs

Federal OSHA to review all state plan programs

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jordan Barab, acting assistant
secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), today told a Congressional committee that the serious
shortcomings discovered during his agency's evaluation of the Nevada
Occupational Safety and Health Administration's safety program raised concerns
about federal OSHA's monitoring of all state plan states.

Barab said in testimony before the House Committee on Education and Labor
that, as a result of deficiencies found in Nevada OSHA's program and this
administration's goal to move from reaction to prevention, federal OSHA will
implement a number of changes to strengthen the oversight, monitoring and
evaluation of all state programs.

"To improve oversight immediately, I sent interim guidance to OSHA regional
administrators about the monitoring tools available to them and encouraged
more in-depth investigation of potential problems," said Barab. "To ensure
that deficiencies similar to those found in Nevada do not exist in any of the
other state plans, OSHA will conduct a baseline evaluation, similar to what we
conducted in Nevada, for every state that administers its own program. These
evaluations will lead to better program performance and consistency throughout
all state plans."

Although federal OSHA is strengthening its oversight of state plan programs,
Barab also pointed out the benefits of state programs. They add resources to
the federal program and cover state and local government employees not covered
by federal OSHA. Federal OSHA strongly supports the initiative and dedication
of state programs.

"We want to work together with the states and provide assistance before a
state's program becomes deficient and causes worker deaths, injuries and
illness," said Barab. "We are not trying to change the nature of our
relationship between federal and state OSHA, but we need to speak with one
voice and assure American workers they will receive adequate protection
regardless of the state in which they work."

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 encourages states to develop
and operate their own job safety and health programs. Federal OSHA approves
and monitors the state plans and provides up to 50 percent of an approved
plan's operating costs. Twenty-five states and two American territories have
sought and obtained plan approval.

OSHA's role is to promote safe and healthful working conditions for America's
men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training,
outreach and education. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Labor

Diana Petterson of the U.S. Department of Labor, +1-202-693-1898