OSHA To Discuss Requirements For OSHA-approved State Plans

OSHA has scheduled an informal stakeholder meeting for June 25, 2012 on establishing definitions and measures to determine whether OSHA-approved State Plans for occupational safety and health (State Plans) are at least as effective as the federal OSHA program. The purpose of this meeting is to provide a forum to gather information and ideas on key outcome and activity based indicators and how OSHA can use such indicators to assess the effectiveness of State Plans.

The specific issues to be discussed will include the following:

• OSHA's mission is "to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance."
• How would you define or describe the components that constitute an OSHA-approved State Plan that was "effective" in achieving this mission (e.g., funding, staffing, standards setting, strong enforcement program, strong consultation program, frequency of inspection, strong training and outreach programs, level of penalties etc.)?
• What outcome based measures would you use to determine whether OSHA-approved State Plans were achieving this mission (e.g., reductions in injury and illness rates, reductions in fatality rates, etc.)?
• What activity based measures would you use to determine whether OSHA-approved State Plans were achieving this mission (e.g., number of inspections conducted, number of violations issued, etc.)?
• Should there be a core set of effectiveness measures that both OSHA and State Plan programs must meet?
• What activity and outcome based measures would you use to assess effectiveness as it relates to the reduction of health hazards?
• What activity and outcome based measures would you use to assess the effectiveness of the whistleblower program under Section 11(c) of the Act?
• What indicators would you use to determine and monitor whether OSHA-approved State Plans are "at least as effective" as federal OSHA as outlined in Section 18(b) of the Act?

The stakeholder meeting is scheduled to take place on June 25, 2012 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Washington, DC. The deadline for registration to attend or participate in the meeting and to submit written comments is June 11, 2012.

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