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Text Size| 2005 OSHSPA Report > OSHSPA: States Protecting Workers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| OSHSPA: States protecting workers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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States and territories may elect to develop their own unique workplace safety and health program. Each state program takes responsibility for developing and enforcing workplace safety and health standards in its jurisdiction. The state and territorial programs cover 40 percent of the nation’s workforce, conducting enforcement inspections and providing consultative services. They also provide free training and outreach, encouraging employers and their employees to follow safe and healthful work practices. The Occupational Safety and Health State Plan Association (OSHSPA) links the 26 state-plan jurisdictions, federal occupational safety and health jurisdictions and Congress. The 26 states and territories operating state-plan programs – and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) – share this common goal: a safe and healthful workplace for every worker through prevention of injuries, illnesses and fatalities on the job. According to Section 18 of the federal OSH Act of 1970: “Any state which, at any time, desires to assume responsibility for development and enforcement therein of occupational safety and health standards relating to any occupational safety and health issue with respect to which a federal standard has been promulgated under section 6 shall submit a state plan for the development of such standards and their enforcement.” State standards and their enforcement must be “at least as effective” as federal OSHA in promoting safe and healthful working conditions. State plans are approved and monitored by federal OSHA, which funds up to 50 percent of an approved plan’s operating costs. Benefits of a state plan include coverage for public-sector employees, as well as creating new programs that address hazards specific to the state’s industries. OSHSPA has three meetings a year at which state program representatives share information and discuss common problems. It also provides information to states or territories considering application for state-plan status. OSHSPA representatives appear before congressional committees and other agencies to report about workplace safety and health issues. Protecting public-sector employees Even though the OSH Act of 1970 specifically excludes from federal coverage states’ public agencies and their political subdivisions, the state plans are required to provide occupational safety and health protection to public-sector employees. This is a significant requirement and benefit of the state-plan programs, because some of the most hazardous workplaces are in the public sector: firefighting, emergency response, corrections, law enforcement, publicly funded health care facilities and transportation. With the state-plan program, public employees receive protection equal to that of private-sector employees. A number of states have special-emphasis programs for public employees, as well as the private sector. Special-emphasis programs in state and local hospitals and nursing homes deal with ergonomics and bloodborne pathogens. New Mexico developed a standard that is more effective than OSHA’s standard regarding firefighting. The Connecticut, New Jersey and New York state-plans cover only public-sector employees – federal OSHA covers private-sector employees in these states. The Virgin Islands converted the territory’s comprehensive state-plan to a public-employee-only state plan in July 2003.
Investing in Worker Protection In federal-fiscal-year 2005, state programs received $91 million in 23(g) and $25 million in 21(d) funding from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s total budget of $464.1 million. The states are required to provide at least 50 percent of the total funds for a 23(g) compliance program and at least 10 percent for a 21(d) consultation program. In addition, many states fund other programs focused on safety and health in the workplace. Even in states facing serious budget constraints, the respective legislatures continue to provide matching funds for occupational safety and health programs in recognition of their value in reducing workplace injuries and illnesses, conserving both human and fiscal resources. In fiscal-year 2005, state and territorial funds of $133.6 million were allocated to state-plan programs. This commitment to worker safety and health is worthy of recognition. State-plan programs make a significant contribution to the goal of safe and healthful workplaces for all American workers. Fiscal-year 2005 total federal OSHA budget  Text version of chart: Title: Fiscal-year 2005 total federal OSHA budget Type: Pie Chart Chart Elements: 3 - One segment for each percentage/dollar amount of the total budget. Values:
Fiscal-year 2005 total state-plans budget 
Text version of chart: Title: Fiscal-year 2005 total state-plans budget Type: Pie Chart Chart Elements: 3 - One segment for each percentage/dollar amount of the total budget. Values:
Fiscal-year 2004 OSHSPA inspection data Quantity of on-site visits  Text version of chart: Title: Quantity of on-site visits Type: Horizontal Bar Graph Chart Elements: 2 - One bar for each on-site visit type showing the number of visits. Values:
Compliance inspections conducted  Text version of chart: Title: Compliance inspections conducted Type: Horizontal Bar Graph Chart Elements: 2 - One bar for each inspection visit type showing the number of inspections. Values:
Type of inspections conducted  Text version of chart: Title: Type of inspections conducted Type: Horizontal Bar Graph Chart Elements: 6 - One bar for each inspection visit type showing the number of inspections. Values:
Fiscal-year 2005 OSHSPA inspection data
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