OSHA Chief Vows to Continue Past Policies

March 4, 2005
Jonathan Snare, acting assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, affirmed that OSHA will continue to expand voluntary programs while maintaining "strong, fair and effective enforcement."

Speaking March 2 in one of his first public speeches since taking the helm at OSHA, Snare addressed the midwinter meeting of the American Bar Association's Occupational Safety and Health committee being held in Key West, Fla.

"OSHA is committed to expanding education, outreach and compliance assistance," Snare told conference attendees.

As evidence of this commitment, Snare cited the $1 million increase for state compliance assistance programs in the president's proposed 2006 budget.

OSHA's enforcement program will be maintained at its current level, with the same number of projected inspections as last year, according to Snare. The proposed 2006 enforcement budget, after allowing for inflation, also will remain the same as last year.

Expanding OSHA's compliance assistance, outreach and cooperative programs was possibly the most significant accomplishment of John Henshaw, the previous OSHA administrator. One question being asked by some attendees at the ABA conference is whether Snare will continue Henshaw's legacy. In his remarks, Snare appeared to signal that he would.

Another possible indication of OSHA's continued commitment to voluntary programs is the promotion of Kim Lazor to chief of staff. Lazor previously served as a special assistant to the assistant secretary and, according to Snare, "was key to expanding OSHA's compliance assistance efforts and stakeholder outreach."

Snare briefly spoke of OSHA's regulatory program near the end of his talk, listing the various items on the agency's rulemaking agenda.

Although Snare offered no new information on OSHA rules in the making, he appeared to place special emphasis on the agency's plan to update national consensus standards that are incorporated in OSHA regulations.

"We're going to be focusing a great deal of effort" on updating those national consensus standards, he said.

Sponsored Recommendations

3 Essential Elements for a Strong Safety Culture

March 13, 2024
Organizations globally have increased their attention on safety culture: trying to figure out what it really is and the aspects that are necessary to develop and sustain it. And...

Making the Case for Occupational Health Software

March 13, 2024
Deciding to invest in Occupational Health (OH) software can be a challenging leap for many organizations. This article will equip businesses with insightful strategies for effectively...

Fighting the Flu: Solutions for the Workplace

March 13, 2024
Seasonal flu continues to wreak considerable havoc both on individual wellness, as well as on our business continuity and productivity. Explore these solutions for protecting ...

Preventing SIFs with Digitization: Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities with Technology

March 13, 2024
This eBook discusses the origins of SIF prevention, outlines principles, models and tools available to EHS leaders to better detect and address SIF potential in their business...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of EHS Today, create an account today!