More opposition to nominee
October 6, 2009 by Fred HosierPosted in: Compliance, In this week's e-newsletter, Injuries, Latest News & Views, OSHA news, ergonomics
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is questioning President Obama’s choice to head OSHA.
The Chamber sent a letter to the chairs and ranking members of two Senate committees, asking for hearings on David Michaels’ nomination.
Michaels is a professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health.
In the letter, Chamber President Bruce Josten notes that Michaels’ book, Doubt is Their Product, criticizes industry groups that raise questions about various regulations and the science underlying them.
Josten cites the ergonomics standard that was enacted at the end of the Clinton administration but overturned by Congress in 2001.
The letter states, “Instead of acknowledging that the scientific and medical record relied upon for this regulation left many questions necessary to issue a regulation unanswered … he described the science as settled and the efforts by business advocates to raise concerns about the science as nothing more than a delaying tactic.”
Josten also questions the way Michaels views the role of compliance assistance in workplace safety. And the Chamber wants Michaels to state whether he accepts data showing that workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities are at all time lows.
OSHA just started a National Emphasis Program on recordkeeping which will send inspectors to facilities with low injury rates that are in high-injury industries. Reason: OSHA wants to check whether companies are under-reporting injuries.
Jordan Barab is acting OSHA administrator. When a permanent head is named, he’ll assume the No. 2 position at the agency.
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Tags: David Michaels, OSHA nominee, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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October 12th, 2009 at 9:14 am
I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT [OSHA] IS DIRECTED FOR SAFETY ,, AS MUCH RAISING REVENUE. ANOTHER BLIND TAX INCREASE, YOU WONDER WHY MANUFACTURING IS LEAVING THIS COUNTRY, JUST KEEP MAKING IT HARDER TO DO BUSINESS HERE, AND CONTINUE TO WONDER !!!
October 12th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Workplace safety certainly needs to be on the top of priorities for industry management. In most cases it is. Having an agency like OSHA to assist industry in creating a safe workplace is a great concept. However, my experience with OSHA inspectors, especially recently, having been very much “us against them.” They show up with an attitude and if they find an issue that needs to be addressed they automatically act as if the company has intentially neglected the situation. I am not laying blame on either side…just stating a fact. This needs to be a trusting partnership with the untimate goal of safety. Creating an atmosphere such as this needs to be the first priority. From what I have read about Mr. Micheals, I am not sure he will project that sort of attitude.
October 12th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
If this was about anything other than raising revenue, this would work more like the legal system. The individuals would get fined, like they do for not wearing a seatbelt. There should be a penalty for the individual if an accident occurs, increasingly so for repeat offenders. The employer should be responsible for providing the training and required safety equipment, but it is the employee’s responsibility to follow the rules. Car manufacturers can install seatbelts, and even annoying warning bells as reminders, but only the vehicle occupants can actually use them.
If any of the higher powers in OSHA had spent any time in the field, including this new nominee, they would recognize the massive amount of tax dollars the system wastes, which is apparently going to get worse. Paperwork does not equal effectiveness when it comes to the average citizen/worker. They only see incentive and punishment.
I would bet there are many more people that get injured or killed driving to and from work than at work, and they spend much more time in the latter. Put the OSHA inspectors in undercover cars on the highways and let them fine and arrest for unsafe driving. It would save many more lives.
October 14th, 2009 at 11:06 am
OSHA has some good common sense regulations. For example: Confined Space, Fall Protection, Respiratory Protection, Hazard Communications, Lifting Equipment requirements to name a few I deal with regularly.
There may be some protions of the regulations that are “overkill” but most of it is good and if followed it will prevent injuries.
Most companies do not want to injure their employees. Employees make them money with their services. Most or many companies have alot of training invested in employees. So prevention of accidents and injuries is good business practice. That is why I think business and OSHA need to work togather both should have the same goal.
OSHA can be a source of injury information around the nation and world. Plants can learn from these past accidents and see how to functionally apply the OSHA regulations.
I hate to see someone take over OSHA who doesn’t understand this working relationship with Industry. Both will suffer for the “US vs Them”, attitude. EPA already has this attitude somewhat. The result will be less industry to regulate and layoffs of OSHA and EPA. This will result in less employment and lower tax revenues for the government. The result will be less bureauracy and lower salaries for smaller government staffs. So it is not good for anyone to have a confrontation attitude!
Obama needs to understand Wealth comes from the production of the Free Market with some reasonable government regulations to protect individuals.