National Office
CSTE
2872 Woodcock Blvd
Suite 303
Atlanta, GA 30341
770-458-3811
770-458-8516
|
|
| |
Indicator 18: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Enforcement Activities |
|
| • Total number of establishments under Federal/state OSHA jurisdiction |
| • Annual number of establishments inspected by Federal/state OSHA |
| • Annual number of employees whose work areas were inspected by Federal/state OSHA |
| • Percent of establishments under Federal/state OSHA jurisdiction inspected by Federal/state OSHA |
| • Percent of employees in establishments under Federal/state OSHA jurisdiction whose work areas were inspected |
|
| |
| Data Source: Numbers of OSHA inspections and workers covered by OSHA inspections: OSHA Office of Statistics. Number of establishments and workforce estimates: Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Covered Employers and Wages (ES 202). |
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed by Congress to assure safe and healthy working conditions for every working man and woman in the nation. Under the Act, the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is authorized to conduct worksite inspections to determine whether employers are complying with health and safety standards issued by the agency. OSHA may issue citations and impose fines on employers if violations are found.
OSHA inspects worksites in response to reports of fatal injuries or incidents resulting in multiple hospitalizations, worker complaints, and referrals from other agencies. OSHA also conducts programmed inspections aimed at specific high-risk industries, occupations or worksites with high injury rates. Federal OSHA jurisdiction includes Federal employment but does not extend to state and municipal government workplaces. However, under the OSHA Act, states may elect to administer their own safety and health programs that are at least as effective as federal OSHA programs. In these “state plan” states, public and private sector worksites are subject to occupational safety and health inspections conducted by state OSHA programs. In 2000, there were 25 states and territories in which OSHA protections extended to public sector workers. Farms with ten or fewer paid employees, while technically under federal OSHA jurisdiction, are exempt from federal OSHA inspections because of a congressional budgetary rider, unless they have a temporary labor camp. They are also exempt from inspections in most “state plan” states; although in California and North Carolina, small farms are not exempt. The mining industry is covered by a separate federal agency – the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).
Nationwide, almost eight million workplaces are covered by the OSHA Act. Federal OSHA and “state-plan” states have approximately 1,100 and 1,350 inspectors, respectively. Clearly only a small percentage of worksites can be inspected on an annual basis. The possibility of inspection and of subsequent penalties if violations are found is intended as a general deterrent to dissuade employers from violating health and safety standards.1 This occupational health indicator (OHI) provides a measure of the numbers and proportions of workers and worksites potentially benefiting directly from Federal/State OSHA inspection activity.
Federal OSHA and State plans also conduct a range of activities in addition to enforcement. They provide assistance in complying with legally binding standards and voluntary guidelines promulgated by Federal and State OSHA and support educational outreach and programs for employers and employees. In addition, OSHA funds a consultation program delivered by the states. This OHI does not measure these activities. Nor does this OHI measure the quality of OSHA inspections, such as the extent to which the worksite targeting activity has successfully identified workplaces where there are violations of worksite health and safety standards.
|
| |
| Data |
| • 2000 click here to view table |
| • 2001 click here to view table |
| • 2002 click here to view table |
| • 2003 click here to view table |
| |
| |
1 McQuiston TH, Zakocs RC, Loomis DL . The case for stronger OSHA enforcement – Evidence from evaluation research. Am J Public Health. 1998; 88:7.
|
| |
|
| |
|
 |
|
