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Safe Workplace and Safety News
Blog Author Steve Hudgik
Monday, July 02, 2012
OSHA Reforms Voluntary Protection Programs
The Cutting Edge reports that OSHA has announced reforms to the Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The article states that reforms include:
In a June 28th Congressional Hearing R. Davis, Layne, executive director of the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association (VPPA) expressed disappointment that OSHA's FY 2013 budget request, which included an overall increase in OSHA funding, had a decrease in requested funding for VPP.
Concerning the budget request, at the same hearing Jordan Barab, deputy assistant secretary of labor for OSHA stated, "OSHA is committed to VPP as well as our other cooperative programs, but we need to make difficult decisions to allocate limited resources. We have, over the last several years, increased our enforcement presence. We need to have a balanced program. Our program is not balanced, especially in whistleblower. Workers need to be the eyes and ears of OSHA, otherwise it won't work."
- Increased funding to offer free advice to small businesses on worker safety practices
- Expanded whistleblower programs, with four new laws designed to protect workers from retaliation for reporting potential safety hazards.
- A shift away from incentive programs that are based on keeping injury and illness rates low.
In a June 28th Congressional Hearing R. Davis, Layne, executive director of the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association (VPPA) expressed disappointment that OSHA's FY 2013 budget request, which included an overall increase in OSHA funding, had a decrease in requested funding for VPP.
Concerning the budget request, at the same hearing Jordan Barab, deputy assistant secretary of labor for OSHA stated, "OSHA is committed to VPP as well as our other cooperative programs, but we need to make difficult decisions to allocate limited resources. We have, over the last several years, increased our enforcement presence. We need to have a balanced program. Our program is not balanced, especially in whistleblower. Workers need to be the eyes and ears of OSHA, otherwise it won't work."
Labels: OSHA, VPP, whistleblower
posted by Steve Hudgik
View This Post - (5 Comments) |
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5 Comments:
It looks like we'll be getting more strong-arm enforcement and less cooperative effort. A police state is not the way to improve safety. Regulations and standards are important. But the foundation of safety is to have a workplace culture that embraces safety as a lifestyle. Instead on putting the emphasis on avoiding OSHA and OSHA fines, the emphasis needs to be on having a safety culture such that everyone is always alert to potential safety hazards.
This is some good information. We for sure need to train the young new workers better.
I generally don't get worked up. All things seem to have their season. But, this is going in the wrong direction. Enforcement is necessary, but we'll do much better with a carrot than a stick. There is a reason why this is such a well known truism.
Follow the money not the words.
OSHA has become too overbearing, to the point they are detracting from safety. VPP was a good program they are slowly strangling.
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