|
|
| Please check back soon as this section is updated regularly. January 27, 2010 OSHA Releases Workplace Injury and Illness Information
Data represents administration's "Open Government" policy WASHINGTON -- Every year since 1996 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has collected work-related injury and illness data from more than 80,000 employers. For the first time, the Agency has made the data from 1996 to 2007 available in a searchable online database, allowing the public to look at establishment or industry-specific injury and illness data. The workplace injury and illness data is available at: http://www.osha.gov/pls/odi/establishment_search.html as well as Data.gov. OSHA uses the data to calculate injury and illness incidence rates to guide its strategic management plan and to focus its Site Specific Targeting (SST) Program, which the agency uses to target its inspections. "Making injury and illness information available to the public is part of OSHA's response to the administration's commitment to make government more transparent to the American people," said David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. "This effort will improve the public's accessibility to workplace safety and health data and ensure the Agency can function more effectively for American workers." January 15, 2010 US Department of Labor's OSHA Announces 'OSHA Listens' Public Meeting to Solicit Comments and Suggestions from Stakeholders
Public meeting scheduled for Feb. 10 in Washington, D.C. WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced a public meeting, "OSHA Listens," to solicit comments and suggestions from OSHA stakeholders on key issues facing the agency. The meeting is scheduled for Feb. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST in Washington, D.C.
"Public involvement in the government's activities is a priority for this administration and is important to enhancing OSHA efforts to protect the safety and health of workers," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "This public meeting gives us an opportunity to hear your ideas, suggestions and comments on key issues facing this agency."
Some of the questions OSHA invites public input on include: - What can the agency do to enhance and encourage the efforts of employers, workers and unions to identify and address workplace hazards?
- What are the most important emerging or unaddressed health and safety issues in the workplace, and what can OSHA do to address these?
- How can the agency improve its efforts to engage stakeholders in programs and initiatives?
- Are there additional measures to improve the effectiveness of the agency's current compliance assistance efforts and the onsite consultation program to ensure small businesses have the information needed to provide safe workplaces?
- What specific actions can the agency take to enhance the voice of workers in the workplace, particularly workers who are hard to reach, who do not have ready access to information about hazards or their rights, or who are afraid to exercise their rights?
The public meeting will be held at the Frances Perkins Building auditorium, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. To attend and/or make an oral presentation, individuals must register by e-mail at stakeholder.meeting@dol.gov by close of business on Feb. 3. In the e-mail, include: - Your name, title, company or organization (if applicable), address, telephone number and e-mail address.
- If you wish to make a short presentation, the specific topic or issue to be addressed.
Those unable to attend may send written comments to OSHA Docket Office, Docket Number OSHA-2010-0004, Technical Data Center, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210, or submit them via e-mail to stakeholder.meeting@dol.gov. Identify all comments with the docket number.
For more information on the scope of the meeting, attending the meeting or providing written comments, refer to the Federal Register notice at http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=21302.
January 7, 2010 OSHA Announces Informal Public Hearing on Hazard Communication Rule WASHINGTON -- The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will hold three informal public hearings to accept comments and testimony on the proposed rule to align the agency's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).
The first hearing will begin March 2 at 9:30 a.m. in the auditorium of the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. Additional hearings are scheduled for March 31 in Pittsburgh and April 13 in Los Angeles. OSHA will provide the location for the Pittsburgh and Los Angeles hearings in a future notice.
A number of countries, including the United States, and international organizations participated in developing the GHS to address inconsistencies in hazard classification and communications. The system provides a single, harmonized system to classify chemicals, labels and safety data sheets with the primary benefit of increasing the quality and consistency of information provided to workers, employers and chemical users.
Those interested in attending the hearings must provide a notice of intention to appear by January 18, 2010. Notices may be submitted through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov. Notices can also be submitted by regular mail to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-H022K-2006-0062, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Ave., Washington, D.C. 20210. Submissions not exceeding 10 pages can be faxed to the OSHA Docket Office at 202-693-1648.
|
| |
|