Is OSHA The Best Source Of Safety Information

I ran across this congressional testimony by John Biechman Vice President for Government Affairs for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). He points out that because of the time it takes for OSHA regulations and standards to be approved, at times they become effective long after the need is recognized. Mr. Biechman makes the case that standards published by organizations such as the NFPA have more up-to-date standards that reflect current safety needs.

OSHA Announces Targeted Inspection Plan for 2006

Here is an important press release from OSHA.

OSHA Trade News release
U.S. Department of Labor
OSHA, Office of Communications

OSHA Announces Targeted Inspection Plan for 2006
Agency targets about 4,250 high-hazard worksite

WASHINGTON -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced today that its 2006 site-specific targeting (SST) plan will focus on approximately 4,250 high-hazard worksites in its primary list for unannounced comprehensive inspections over the coming year.

"Our targeted inspection program maximizes the effectiveness of our inspection resources to those workplaces with the highest safety and health hazards," said OSHA Administrator Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. "This program gives us the opportunity to focus our enforcement efforts where it will have the most benefit for workers and employers."

Over the past eight years, OSHA has used a site-specific targeting inspection program based on injury and illness data. This year's program (SST-06) stems from the agency's Data Initiative for 2005, which surveyed approximately 80,000 employers to attain their injury and illness numbers for 2004.

This year's program will initially cover about 4,250 individual worksites on the primary list that reported 12 or more injuries or illnesses resulting in days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer for every 100 full-time workers (known as the DART rate). The primary list will also include sites based on a "Days Away from Work Injury and Illness" (DAFWII) rate of 9 or higher (9 or more cases that involve days away from work per 100 full-time employees). Employers not on the primary list who reported DART rates of between 7.0 and 12.0, or DAFWII rates of between 5.0 and 9.0, will be placed on a secondary list for possible inspection. The national incident DART rate in 2004 for private industry was 2.5, while the national incident DAFWII rate was 1.4.

OSHA will again inspect nursing homes and personal care facilities, but only the highest 50% rated establishments will be included on the Primary List. Inspections will focus primarily on ergonomic hazards relating to resident handling; exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials; exposure to tuberculosis; and slips, trips, and falls.

The agency will also randomly select and inspect about 175 workplaces (with 75 or more employees) across the nation that reported low injury and illness rates for the purpose of reviewing the actual degree of compliance with OSHA requirements. These establishments are selected from those industries with above the national incident DART and DAFWII rates.

Finally, the agency will include on the primary list some establishments that did not respond to the 2005 data survey.

Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.