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Technical Note #1
Tuesday, June 4, 1996

OSHA has approved revised compliance staffing levels of 64 safety inspectors and 50 industrial hygienists for the North Carolina state occupational safety and health plan.

These benchmarks are set according to the 1978 court order and define the compliance staffing levels necessary for a fully effective job safety and health program in the state. The allocation of sufficient compliance staffing is one of the conditions that state plans must meet to receive final federal approval and independence from concurrent federal enforcement authority.

North Carolina's current benchmark of 50 safety inspectors and 27 industrial hygienists have been in place since 1986 per a 1984 staffing formula that assumes general inspection coverage of only high hazard industries. Other industries are covered through response to employee complaints, accident investigations, referrals and voluntary compliance efforts. The state has requested the increase granted today to respond to changing occupational safety and health needs and circumstances.

Proposed revisions to the North Carolina benchmarks were announced in the March 7, 1995, Federal Register, and public comments solicited. Two comments were received.

To date, 14 states have received approval of staffing benchmarks revised under tthe 1984 formula.

Notice of OSHA's approval of the revised North Carolina benchmark appears in the June 4 Federal Register.