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With the Obama administration proposing big budget cuts for some agencies, such as a 13% drop for EPA, it may come as somewhat of a surprise that OSHA’s budget would go up under the President’s proposed 2012 budget.

If the administration gets its way, and that’s doubtful this year, OSHA would receive $583 million in funding, an increase of $24.7 million (4.43%) compared to 2010′s enacted level. (For 2011, the federal government is working under a temporary extension of the 2010 budget. In other words, funding this year remains under 2010 levels.)

The budget includes 72 additional full-time employees, 25 of whom would be new inspectors.

The federal enforcement budget would increase $7.7 million. States with their own OSHAs would get $1.5 million more from the federal government to fund their agencies.

The increases don’t all go to enforcement. Compliance assistance for employers would receive an extra $650,000.

If you’d like to, and we don’t necessarily recommend it, you can read all 114 pages of OSHA’s proposed budget here (PDF).

Given current economic conditions, would you support the President’s OSHA budget proposal? Let us know in the Comments Box below.

Tags: compliance assistance, enforcement, Obama administration, OSHA budget, proposed budget cuts