FY 2007 Budget Request Includes $11.2 Million Increase for OSHA
The President's
budget request of $483.7 million for OSHA during FY 2007
provides "the resources we need to continue to improve our
efforts to further cut worker injuries, illnesses and
fatalities," said Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA
Jonathan L. Snare during a briefing in Washington, Feb. 6. The
request includes increases for federal enforcement, compliance
assistance and safety and health statistics.
OSHA Announces FY 2005 Enforcement Results
OSHA recently
announced the results of its "effective, focused, and
consistent" enforcement program for FY 2005. Acting Assistant
Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jonathan L. Snare said the agency
cited 85,307 total violations of OSHA standards and regulations
during the year, an overall increase of 9.5 percent over the
last five years. Of particular note was the increase in willful
violations issued during the year (62 percent over FY 2004). The
agency also exceeded its total inspection goal for the year, and
revealed major gains in the Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP)
-- a 200 percent increase from FY 2004 for the number of
inspections that qualified as EEP cases. Said Snare: "OSHA's
balanced approach to workplace safety and health includes
strong, fair and effective enforcement programs-and that
approach is working."
Worker Protection Against Avian Flu Highlighted
OSHA has important
information on its Web site spotlighting precautions for workers
who may become exposed to avian flu, commonly called "bird flu."
A safety
and health information bulletin focuses on protecting
poultry workers, while a
safety
and health guidance page alerts workers and employers about
the hazards of the virus. The guidance provides specific
recommendations for farm workers and animal handlers, laboratory
workers, medical personnel, food handlers, airline flight crews
and travelers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) recently posted a new page on its Web site
highlighting the issue.
Avian
Influenza: Protecting Workers from Exposure includes an
overview and description of the disease, and provides links to
numerous national and international resources that discuss the
topic.
OSHA Updates Construction eTool for Spanish-speaking Workers
A popular and important
Web-based training tool has been restructured to aid
Spanish-speaking construction workers. OSHA recently posted a
new version of its construction eTool (eTool
de Construccion - La Prevencion De Fatalidades) that will
help employers and workers identify and avoid hazards that
commonly cause the most serious injuries in construction
including electrical, falls, struck-by and trenching. The
updated version uses safety and health terms from OSHA's
English-to-Spanish and Spanish-to-English construction
dictionaries, and includes a glossary of construction safety and
health terms, and topics to aid in developing and maintaining
effective workplace safety and health programs.
Acting Assistant Secretary Snare to Address OSHSPA
On Feb. 28, Acting
Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jonathan L. Snare is
scheduled to address participants of the
Occupational
Safety and Health State Plan Association (OSHSPA) meeting in
San Diego.
Registration Open for Spanish-language Version of Worker Safety
and Health Training
Spaces are still
available for the Spanish-language version of the 10-hour
construction safety and health course being offered by OSHA
and the Illinois On-Site Consultation Program, Northern Illinois
University, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Truman
College. The construction course is set for March 18 and 25 from
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Chicago's West Side Technical Institute,
2800 S. Western Ave. Topics include excavations, fall
protection, scaffolds, personal protective equipment, electrical
safety, and more. To register, contact Truman College at (773)
907-3994 (bilingual).
New OSHA Partnership Formed to Protect Worker Safety and Health
Providing better health
and safety for construction workers in Louisiana is the goal of
a new strategic partnership between OSHA and the Bayou Chapter
of the
Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. (ABC). Partnership
objectives include reducing electrocutions and injuries and
illnesses from falls, struck-by and caught-in mishaps, and
increasing the number of ABC member companies participating in
mentoring activities. Through its
Strategic Partnership Program, OSHA and its partners agree
to work cooperatively to address critical safety and health
issues.
National Alliances Renewed
OSHA renewed its
alliance with the
Washington Group International for an additional two years
to continue focusing on cranes and rigging, hearing protection
and ergonomics within the engineering and construction industry.
The alliance will target continuing education, training,
outreach and communication efforts. Helping protect workers by
minimizing exposure to shipyard safety and health hazards is
what OSHA and the
American Shipbuilding Association will continue to aim for
under an alliance renewed by the two organizations, Feb. 1. Both
entities will work together to increase access to safety and
health information and outreach programs for shipyard employees.
Regional Alliances Formed with OSHA
Region VII:
OSHA's Omaha, Neb., Area Office renewed its alliance with the
Internal Revenue Service, Nebraska Department of Revenue, and
Nebraska Department of Labor's Workforce Development Office.
The agreement will continue to promote the national dialogue on
workplace safety and health while educating employers about
services and products available to assist with voluntary
compliance of federal and state tax obligations. Region X:
Giving employers and workers of Mexican ancestry the information
and training resources to understand their rights and
responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act is
the goal of a new alliance signed between OSHA's Seattle Region
and the
Consulate of Mexico in Seattle. Members will develop
training programs and materials to simplify complex regulations
or potential occupational hazards.
Voluntary Protection Programs Activity
The following companies
were approved this month for new or continued participation in
OSHA's Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP):
Region I: Newington Energy Limited, Newington, N.H. (New
Star); U.S. Postal Service (USPS), Danbury Post Office, Danbury,
Conn. (New Star); General Electric Consumer & Industrial,
Auburn, Maine (Cont. Star); Schick Manufacturing, Milford, Conn.
(New Merit); USPS, Central Square Post Office, Cambridge, Maine
(New Star); USPS, Biddeford/Saco Carrier Annex, Saco, Maine (New
Star); General Electric, Bangor, Maine (Return to Star); USPS,
Tewksbury Post Office, Tewksbury, Mass. (New Star) Region II:
USPS, Teall Station, Syracuse, N.Y. (New Merit); General
Electric Global Research Renovation Project, Niskayuna, N.Y.
(New Star); USPS, Rochester L&DC, Rochester, N.Y. (New Merit);
Caribe GE Manufacturing LLC, Vieques, Puerto Rico (New Star)
Region III: USPS, Vienna Main Post Office, Vienna, Va. (New
Star); USPS, Dulles Air Mail Center, Dulles, Va. (New Star);
USPS, Charlottesville Processing and Distribution Center,
Charlottesville, Va. (New Star); USPS, Baltimore Downtown
Delivery Annex, Baltimore, Md. (New Merit); PPL Corp., Montour
Steam Electric Station, Washingtonville, Pa. (Cont. Star); PPL
Corp., Holtwood Hydroelectric Station, Holtwood, Pa. (Cont.
Star); Georgia-Pacific Corp., Mt. Hope Oriented Strand Board,
Mt. Hope, W.Va. (Cont. Star) Region IV: Blake Medical
Center, Bradenton, Fla. (Cont. Star); Kimberly-Clark Corp.,
LaGrange Mill, LaGrange, Ga. (New Star); Sikorsky Field
Operations Center, Jacksonville, Fla. (New Star) Region V:
USPS, Cleveland Airport Mail Center, Cleveland, Ohio (New Star);
OSHA Appleton Area Office, Appleton, Wis. (New Star) Region
X: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Pullman, Wash. (New
Star).
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