DOL Secretary Hilda Solis Speaks at ASSE PDC

Department of Labor Secretary Hilda Solis addressed the attendees at this year's American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) professional development conference in San Antonio. If you weren't able to attend, here is her address:

OSHA Announces New Acting Director

On 17 February 2009, a change in personnel was announced at OSHA. Mr. Noah Connell, Deputy Director, Directorate of Construction (DOC) within the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been the Acting Director for the DOC since April 2008. This was the second time in three years that Mr. Connell has been Acting Director. However, the Administration has selected Mr. Richard Fairfax, Director, Directorate of Enforcement Programs to act as the Acting Director for the DOC. Mr. Fairfax will manage both the Directorate of Enforcement Programs and Construction until the new Secretary of Labor and Assistant Secretary of Labor, OSHA select a permanent Director for the DOC.

Mr. Steven Witt was the most recent Director for the DOC until April 2008 when it was announced by former Assistant Secretary Foulke that Mr. Witt would serve as the Director, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs. Previous to Mr. Witt, Mr. R. Bruce Swanson was the Director for the DOC for many years.

New Labor Secretary's Agenda for Safety

Hilda L. Solis is the Secretary of Labor-designate and at her confirmation hearing last month she outlined four key priorities. One of those priorities addressed Safety & Health:

• Ensure safe, healthy and fair workplaces for American workers by enforcing compliance with employment laws. "Workers should not have to sacrifice their lives or their health to keep their jobs," said Soltis. "Workers need time and flexibility to care for their families and themselves. These are American values. They must be America's ordinary way of doing business."

These are great thoughts and as Safety Professionals they are usually what we believe. Isn't it unfortunate that most of the problems we encounter are not from uncaring employers but from the very workers we are trying to keep safe. How unfortunate that those same workers often try to "get away with doing things in an unsafe manner," not from employer pressure, but because they don't want to take the time to do it right. Don't get me wrong, there are employers who pressure for production while ignoring safety, but there is just as much problem with employees of conscientious employers.

Soltis is correct - workers should not have to sacrifice their lives or their health. Fellow Safety Professionals - Keep Up the Good Work!

Picks for Labor and Trade Positions Disagree on Policy

The New York Times reports that President-Elect Obama has completed selections for his cabinet, and will nominate Hilda L. Solis, Democrat of California, as his labor secretary and Ron Kirk, a former mayor of Dallas, as his trade representative. Although the policy disagreement is interesting, the important part for the safety professional is his pick for Labor Secretary, since this places Hilda L. Solis in charge of OSHA. To read more, click here.