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On April 30th, the new Acting Assistant Secretary, Jordan Barab, generated a report of a new OSHA program named the Severe Violators Inspection Program (SVIP) and has suspended the practice of setting goals for new VPP sites and Alliances. In short, he has directed OSHA to spend their resources on enforcement.
According to his statement, the focus will be "...more on large companies and less on small businesses." According to Barab, "the new program will include a more intensive examination of an employer's history for systemic problems that would trigger additional mandatory inspections."
I don't know about this directional change in General Industry, but my experience in the Construction Industry is that the "small business," particularly residential type subcontractors, are the biggest safety problem. Most of the "large" general contractors understand that the investment in jobsite safety pays big returns. The larger subs understand that too. So, if they focus on the "big guys" with bad records, what about all of the "not so big guys" who may have no record because they've never been caught?" I can't begin to count all of the subs who still say "but that's the way we've always done it." Or, "what's a 'competent person?'"
Now, I don't mind that OSHA ignores my workplace. My employer still sees the value of jobsite safety. In fact, OSHA inspections (or the lack thereof) are not motivators for our program. But, I think that OSHA's focus on the "big guys" to the exclusion of the "little guys," may backfire.
To read Barab's printed statement and decide for yourself, click here.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Dallas Cowboys Practice "bubble" Collapse
My office in Irving, Texas is across the street from the practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys. As you probably read in newspaper (or saw on television), the Texas version of high winds caused the facility to collapse over the weekend. As a result, several people were injured, two had serious injuries.
In case you were wondering, OSHA is on the site today. Yes, some of the injured were employees of the Dallas Cowboys and, therefore, subject to the multiple hospitalization inspection.
In case you were wondering, OSHA is on the site today. Yes, some of the injured were employees of the Dallas Cowboys and, therefore, subject to the multiple hospitalization inspection.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Nevada Worker Safety Training Proposal
On Monday, the San Jose Mercury News reported on a proposal in Nevada that all employees complete an OSHA 10 hour class and all supervisors complete a 30 hour class. Further, it would require that employers "drop" workers "who don't get the training in a timely manner."
This sounds like a great plan. But, original plan was to give employers 60 days to complete the training. And there is a proposed amendment that would reduce that 60 days to 15. When I'm wearing my safety hat, I should say that the training should be completed before they even begin working. But from a practical sense, this may not be practical.
Although I take no position against such a bill - I see it as job security for us safety guys - I do believe that the Nevada legislature's assessment of the cost of such training is flawed. While it is true that the cost of such courses ($130 and $300 respectively) is pretty close to accurate, their analysis did not account for the salaries of the employees while attending nor the cost in terms of production (or the lack thereof). Remember, if an employee is required by his employer to take these classes, they must do so during working hours (wages/hour and loss of production), or after hours (at overtime?). Unless, of course, we should visit these costs on the employee.
Before we enact these types of requirements, we need to do a valid assessment of the cost in terms of "unintended consequences." That said, once the bugs are worked out, this may be a great way to battle the "unintended consequences" of not educating our workforces. And, if it passes in Nevada, will it set a national trend? We should all be working towards these educational goals anyway. So, my advice is that we do it now - before it is "required" by legislation.
To read the article, click here.
This sounds like a great plan. But, original plan was to give employers 60 days to complete the training. And there is a proposed amendment that would reduce that 60 days to 15. When I'm wearing my safety hat, I should say that the training should be completed before they even begin working. But from a practical sense, this may not be practical.
Although I take no position against such a bill - I see it as job security for us safety guys - I do believe that the Nevada legislature's assessment of the cost of such training is flawed. While it is true that the cost of such courses ($130 and $300 respectively) is pretty close to accurate, their analysis did not account for the salaries of the employees while attending nor the cost in terms of production (or the lack thereof). Remember, if an employee is required by his employer to take these classes, they must do so during working hours (wages/hour and loss of production), or after hours (at overtime?). Unless, of course, we should visit these costs on the employee.
Before we enact these types of requirements, we need to do a valid assessment of the cost in terms of "unintended consequences." That said, once the bugs are worked out, this may be a great way to battle the "unintended consequences" of not educating our workforces. And, if it passes in Nevada, will it set a national trend? We should all be working towards these educational goals anyway. So, my advice is that we do it now - before it is "required" by legislation.
To read the article, click here.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Sorry for the "Hiatus"
I apologize for the lack of entry to this blog over the recent past. I have been having web access problems with my AT&T connection. They have been working on it, but have not been successful to date. I am on a "borrowed" connection now and hope to be back up soon.
In the meantime, here's a safety related comic strip for your amusement.
In the meantime, here's a safety related comic strip for your amusement.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
OSHA's New Budget
The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) reported last week that Congress finally passed its budget and OSHA's budget has increased to $513,042,000 for this fiscal year. According to AIHA, that's an increase over last year with most of the increase in the enforcement area.
Here's how it breaks down:
Here's how it breaks down:
- $17,204,000 for Federal Enforcement
- $197,946,000 for State Programs
- $92,593,000 for Technical Support
- $22,632,000 for Compliance & Assistance Federal
- $72,659 for State Consultation
- $54,531,000 for Training Grants
- $10,000,000 for Safety & Health Statistics
- $34,128,000 Administration
- $11,349,000 ??
Starting This Week, OSHA Has A New Boss - Sorta
While perusing the various safety publications that come across my desk every day, I found an interesting article in ISHN magazine regarding the newly appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for OSHA - Jordan Barab. It has some interesting insight and, in case you haven't seen it yet, it is offered below in it's entirety, without comment from me.
April 9, 2009
April 9, 2009
Starting this Monday, OSHA has a new boss.
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis yesterday named House Education and Labor Committee senior policy advisor Jordan Barab as deputy assistant secretary for OSHA. Barab will also serve as acting assistant secretary for OSHA beginning Monday. Barab has worked for the committee for more than two years specializing in worker health and safety issues, according to a press released issued from Rep. George Miller's (D-CA) office. Miller chairs the House Education and Labor Committee.
Said Miller in the prepared statement: “Jordan will bring a tremendous amount of valuable health and safety experience to an agency that has been neglected for far too long. Throughout his career, Jordan has demonstrated the specialized knowledge of health and safety issues needed to revamp the agency and strengthen its efforts to protect Americans while on the job.”
Barab has had a long and varied career in Washington. Prior to joining the committee, he worked for four years at the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. He served as special assistant to the assistant director of labor for OSHA from 1998 to 2001, and directed the safety and health program for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees from 1982 to 1998. A native of Palos Verdes Estates, California, Barab is a 1975 graduate of Claremont McKenna College in California and received a Master's degree in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University in 1978.
To expand on Barab’s background, consider these points:
1. Barab becomes the first blogger to head OSHA. From 2003 to 2007, he was the creator and author of the award-winning weblog, Confined Space.
2. Barab was point man for the ergonomics standard-setting work done during Charles Jeffress's tenure. In 1998, he was appointed a special assistant to the assistant secretary for OSHA, serving as national labor liaison, ergonomics coordinator and other duties.
3. He had this to say on his blog about the demise of the ergo standard in 2001:
"After 10 years of struggle, OSHA finally issued an ergonomics standard in November 2000. The Republican-controlled Congress, with virtually no debate, repealed those protections in March 2001. They used a little-known, and never-before-used law called the Congressional Review Act, a piece of legislation, tacked onto a larger bill way back in the early Gingrich years, a bomb lying dormant and unnoticed until it was activated when Bush Administration was selected.
No one knew until it was too late -- and millions of American workers now pay the price every year in painful disability. "
4. A couple of Barab soundbites, (of which there is no lack of) from his acceptance speech at the 2004 American Public Health Association meeting, upon receiving the Lorin Kerr award which “recognizes a younger activist for their sustained and outstanding efforts and dedication to improving the lives of workers.”:
"We need to have an American workforce that is already educated and pre-mobilized. So how do we spread the outrage, put back the tears and politicize workers? "
"We need to make it clear that the right to a safe workplace wasn’t bestowed upon us by concerned politicians or employers who were finally convinced that “Safety Pays.” The right to a safe workplace was won only after a long and bitter fight by workers, unions and public health advocates. It was soaked in the blood of hundreds of thousands of coal miners, factory and construction workers. And the current movement to transform the agency into nothing but a coordinator of voluntary alliances is a betrayal of that promise and those lives."
"While I was searching for the meaning of life the other day and I happened upon a list of Saul Alinsky’s rules for effective action. Two of them struck a note with me: 1. Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. 2. A good tactic is one that your people enjoy. "
Barab of course has a Facebook profile. He lists his favorite politicians: Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Democratic Party, Al Franken and Ted Kennedy. His favorite organizations: National Public Radio, Environmental Working Group, the Employee Free Choice Act, the Service Employees International Union, and the Center for American Progress. Favorite celebs: Bill Maher, George Orwell, Rachel Maddow, Arianna Huffington, Paul Krugman.
A final note: It seems awkward that Labor Secretary Solis has named a top deputy in the OSHA hierarchy (Barab) before filling the top job at OSHA. It’s like naming a deputy before the new sheriff comes to town. This leads some OSHA-watchers to believe Barab may transition from “acting” to “permanent” OSHA chief in the coming months.
One source disputes this, saying the front-runner for the OSHA chief job is David Michaels, PhD. MPH, research professor and interim chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at George Washington University. Michaels was assistant secretary of energy for environment, safety, and health under President Clinton. In a post he wrote for the blog “The Pump Handle,” Michael said: “(former OSHA boss) Mr. Foulke’s arguments are reminiscent of the climate change deniers who oppose government action on global warming, claiming the science is ‘not settled enough’ for OSHA to do what needs to be done. The agency’s claims about the number of new regulations published are also quite misleading.”
Michaels is also author of the book, “Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health” (Oxford University Press, 2008).
Labor Secretary Hilda Solis yesterday named House Education and Labor Committee senior policy advisor Jordan Barab as deputy assistant secretary for OSHA. Barab will also serve as acting assistant secretary for OSHA beginning Monday. Barab has worked for the committee for more than two years specializing in worker health and safety issues, according to a press released issued from Rep. George Miller's (D-CA) office. Miller chairs the House Education and Labor Committee.
Said Miller in the prepared statement: “Jordan will bring a tremendous amount of valuable health and safety experience to an agency that has been neglected for far too long. Throughout his career, Jordan has demonstrated the specialized knowledge of health and safety issues needed to revamp the agency and strengthen its efforts to protect Americans while on the job.”
Barab has had a long and varied career in Washington. Prior to joining the committee, he worked for four years at the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. He served as special assistant to the assistant director of labor for OSHA from 1998 to 2001, and directed the safety and health program for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees from 1982 to 1998. A native of Palos Verdes Estates, California, Barab is a 1975 graduate of Claremont McKenna College in California and received a Master's degree in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University in 1978.
To expand on Barab’s background, consider these points:
1. Barab becomes the first blogger to head OSHA. From 2003 to 2007, he was the creator and author of the award-winning weblog, Confined Space.
2. Barab was point man for the ergonomics standard-setting work done during Charles Jeffress's tenure. In 1998, he was appointed a special assistant to the assistant secretary for OSHA, serving as national labor liaison, ergonomics coordinator and other duties.
3. He had this to say on his blog about the demise of the ergo standard in 2001:
"After 10 years of struggle, OSHA finally issued an ergonomics standard in November 2000. The Republican-controlled Congress, with virtually no debate, repealed those protections in March 2001. They used a little-known, and never-before-used law called the Congressional Review Act, a piece of legislation, tacked onto a larger bill way back in the early Gingrich years, a bomb lying dormant and unnoticed until it was activated when Bush Administration was selected.
No one knew until it was too late -- and millions of American workers now pay the price every year in painful disability. "
4. A couple of Barab soundbites, (of which there is no lack of) from his acceptance speech at the 2004 American Public Health Association meeting, upon receiving the Lorin Kerr award which “recognizes a younger activist for their sustained and outstanding efforts and dedication to improving the lives of workers.”:
"We need to have an American workforce that is already educated and pre-mobilized. So how do we spread the outrage, put back the tears and politicize workers? "
"We need to make it clear that the right to a safe workplace wasn’t bestowed upon us by concerned politicians or employers who were finally convinced that “Safety Pays.” The right to a safe workplace was won only after a long and bitter fight by workers, unions and public health advocates. It was soaked in the blood of hundreds of thousands of coal miners, factory and construction workers. And the current movement to transform the agency into nothing but a coordinator of voluntary alliances is a betrayal of that promise and those lives."
"While I was searching for the meaning of life the other day and I happened upon a list of Saul Alinsky’s rules for effective action. Two of them struck a note with me: 1. Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. 2. A good tactic is one that your people enjoy. "
Barab of course has a Facebook profile. He lists his favorite politicians: Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Democratic Party, Al Franken and Ted Kennedy. His favorite organizations: National Public Radio, Environmental Working Group, the Employee Free Choice Act, the Service Employees International Union, and the Center for American Progress. Favorite celebs: Bill Maher, George Orwell, Rachel Maddow, Arianna Huffington, Paul Krugman.
A final note: It seems awkward that Labor Secretary Solis has named a top deputy in the OSHA hierarchy (Barab) before filling the top job at OSHA. It’s like naming a deputy before the new sheriff comes to town. This leads some OSHA-watchers to believe Barab may transition from “acting” to “permanent” OSHA chief in the coming months.
One source disputes this, saying the front-runner for the OSHA chief job is David Michaels, PhD. MPH, research professor and interim chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at George Washington University. Michaels was assistant secretary of energy for environment, safety, and health under President Clinton. In a post he wrote for the blog “The Pump Handle,” Michael said: “(former OSHA boss) Mr. Foulke’s arguments are reminiscent of the climate change deniers who oppose government action on global warming, claiming the science is ‘not settled enough’ for OSHA to do what needs to be done. The agency’s claims about the number of new regulations published are also quite misleading.”
Michaels is also author of the book, “Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's Assault on Science Threatens Your Health” (Oxford University Press, 2008).
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Florida Suncoast Chapter ASSE Meets on the 16th
If you're going to be in Southwest Florida next week, think about attending the ASSE chapter meeting in Naples, Florida. This months meeting will be at Noon on Thursday, 16 April at Bucca di Beppo on the corner of US 41 and Vanderbilt Beach Road. Andy Jerant from the Collier County Red Cross will be speaking about Disaster Recovery.
If you're a safety pro, don't miss the opportunity to attend local chapter meetings when you are traveling. The Chapter in Southwest Florida is the best one I've seen with some great members. For more information about the chapter and this month's meeting, visit www.swf-asse.org.
If you're a safety pro, don't miss the opportunity to attend local chapter meetings when you are traveling. The Chapter in Southwest Florida is the best one I've seen with some great members. For more information about the chapter and this month's meeting, visit www.swf-asse.org.
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