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OSHA boss: "We're going to act" like an enforcer
Under this administration, OSHA is returning to the original intent of the OSH Act. We're a regulatory and enforcement agency and we're going to act like it."
OSHA boss Dr. David Michaels, in a speech on January 22, 2010

The U.S. Department of Labor's 2010 budget funded 100 new compliance officers. The 2011 budget asks for an additional $14 million, proposes to hire even more inspectors and requires OSHA to shift many of its compliance assistance staff into enforcement. OSHA has also greatly increased the size of its enforcement actions. In the last year, OSHA has nearly tripled the number of significant cases (citations including fines of $100,000 or more).

Spring regulatory agenda includes plan to find and fix workplace hazards
OSHA's spring 2010 Regulatory Agenda includes a new standard that would require each employer to implement safety prevention measures tailored to the actual hazards in that employer's workplace. Instead of waiting for an OSHA inspection or a workplace incident to address workplace hazards, the proposed Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2) standard would require that employers develop a plan, with worker participation, to identify the hazards present in their worksites and address them before they cause an injury, illness, or death. "We are asking employers to 'find and fix' the hazards in their workplace," said Assistant Secretary Michaels.

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