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News
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 22, 2002 |
CONTACTS:
Kevin Smith or Dave Schnittger Telephone: (202) 225-4527 |
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Norwood, Boehner Comment on New GAO Report on OSHA Enforcement Practices WASHINGTON, D.C. - Workforce Committee Republicans today highlighted a new report released by the General Accounting Office (GAO) assessing the enforcement efforts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairman Charlie Norwood (R-GA) requested the GAO report.The GAO study, titled “OSHA Can Strengthen Enforcement through Improved Program Management,” (available online at http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrptGAO-03-45) notes that “OSHA has taken several important steps to target its enforcement resources on the most hazardous worksites, measure its accomplishments, and enhance the professionalism of its staff.” The report, however, also identifies areas of potential concern with OSHA, saying enforcement efforts “could be strengthened by better information and mechanisms that would make targeting efforts more efficient, measurement more precise, and training efforts more effective.”“This new GAO study provides useful recommendations that can help OSHA move forward in its efforts to enhance worker safety at jobsites around the country,” said Norwood. “ I am particularly pleased OSHA has made a commitment to take these recommendations seriously and, where appropriate, to implement positive improvements that can help the agency enhance its mission to reduce workplace injuries and fatalities.”“I look forward to working with the agency to address the issues highlighted by GAO in its report,” Norwood said. “Our first goal is to enhance worker safety, and this report identifies several areas of concern that the agency should consider in its efforts to improve its effectiveness.” GAO made several recommendations in its report, suggesting: (1) OSHA can better target its resources to identify the most hazardous worksites for priority inspection; (2) the agency should improve its measurement efforts so that it can more accurately demonstrate its impact on improving workplace safety; and (3) the agency should take specific actions to improve the quality of its inspection workforce to enhance enforcement. “We are serious about promoting workplace safety and reducing workplace injuries and illness,” said Education & the Workforce Chairman John Boehner (R-OH). “We also want to ensure OSHA enforcement efforts are undertaken in an evenhanded manner that promotes compliance through a combination of targeted enforcement and cooperative partnerships between the agency and employers, especially small business owners. The study released today is another important step in helping OSHA become more effective in improving workplace safety.”
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