AIHA Letter Defends OSHA, NIOSH Budgets

July 19, 2011
Fearing the worst during the Congressional debates about the federal budget, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) has sent letters to the members of Congress who are overseeing appropriations and oversight of OSHA and NIOSH, asking that the budget not be balanced in part on the backs of those two agencies.

AIHA has requested that members of Congress preserve the allocations earmarked for OSHA and NIOSH in the proposed FY 2012 budget, noting that President Barack Obama “has proposed a modest $25 million increase in the OSHA FY 2012 budget.” According to AIHA, “Studies have shown that expenditures on occupational health and safety create a positive return to the bottom line of employers. Protecting the health and safety of America’s workers is non-negotiable.”

By the same token, the association’s members are concerned about President Obama’s proposed cut – of 17 percent – to the NIOSH budget. “It is the sole federal agency responsible for conducting research, making recommendations for the prevention of work-related disease and injury based on current scientific evidence and leading the effort to assure that there are occupational safety and health professionals trained to protect America’s workers.”

To read the full text of the letter, please visit http://www.aiha.org/
newspubs/govtaffairs/Documents/comment11_OSHA-NIOSH-Harkin-07-19-11_4.pdf
.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

Sponsored Recommendations

Committing to Safety: Why Leadership’s Role in Safety Excellence is Key

Jan. 13, 2025
Leadership has the power to transform an organization through their behavior and vision, which can result in the creation of an organizational culturethat supports safety excellence...

Speak Up! Cementing "See Something, Say Something" to Drive Safety

Jan. 13, 2025
Many organizations promote "see something, say something" to encourage their people to intervene and make work safe. But most don't go far enough to equip teams with the skills...

The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease

Jan. 13, 2025
DEKRA announces its latest white paper, “The Truth and Challenges of Cultivating Chronic Unease,” as a definitive look into why being vulnerable to incidents strengthens our commitment...

Can you identify combustible dust?

Jan. 13, 2025
Are you looking for something interesting for a safety meeting? Download our infographic on Can You Identify Combustible Dust.

Voice your opinion!

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