COMMITTEE: Occupational / Environmental / Injury Epidemiology

TITLE: OSHA Reform Legislation (S.575 and HR 1280)

ISSUE: The OSHA-sponsored consultation programs should be recognized as primary occupational injury and illness prevention programs and an important public health resource and partner in injury, illness and hazard surveillance. It is clear that the consultation program would benefit from: 1) a clearer basis in statute to preserve its effectiveness in providing safety and health consultation services to smaller businesses; 2) closer ties with public health surveillance programs; 3) linkages to state worker's compensation programs.

POSITION TO BE ADOPTED: CSTE recommends that ASTHO advocate that OSHA reform legislation be amended to continue to require OSHA smaller employer consultation programs, without user fees, as an important element in the national strategy for improving worker safety and health. ASTHO should advocate that such legislation acknowledge this program as an effective mechanism for delivery of preventive services and mandate linkages between OSHA-sponsored consultation and state and CDC/NIOSH public health disease and injury surveillance programs, state worker's compensation systems, and future health care delivery reform.

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION: Implemented by state Health and Labor Agencies, the small business worksite consultation programs sponsored by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognize the necessity to assist smaller businesses in the task of providing a safe and healthful workplace. It has been necessary to provide this assistance without fees as this sector of the economy has been unable to enter the private consultant market and pay for necessary investigative and industrial hygiene monitoring services. Such small industries are seldom the focus of OSHA enforcement inspections. Thus, unsafe working conditions go unrecognized and uncorrected because the employer can not afford assistance and the remote threat of OSHA enforcement inspections with attendant orders and fines is insufficient incentive for action.

COORDINATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS:

Agency for response: ASTHO

Agencies for information: CDC, OSHA