OSHA Approves Changes to Washington and Alaska State Plans

OSHA will assume jurisdiction over Indian-owned establishments on Indian reservations or federal trust lands in Washington and federally owned native health care facilities and certain military installations in Alaska.

OSHA's agreement with Washington allows the state to exclude from its enforcement responsibility all federally recognized Indian tribes, extending the state plan exclusion previously established for the Yakama Indian Nation and Colville Confederated tribes. Washington will retain jurisdiction over non-member private sector and state and local government employers located within the reservations or on trust lands, and member employers located outside the reservations or trust lands.

OSHA's approval of changes to the Alaska state plan allows the state to exclude coverage of native health care facilities that are federally owned and contractor-operated, and of certain military installations, including four missile defense facilities and four Coast Guard facilities. Federal jurisdiction includes coverage of private contractors working on the military installations. The state retains jurisdiction over construction and contract maintenance at these Native health care facilities.