October 12, 1995

Ms. Elizabeth Fletcher
501 King Court
Yreka, California 96097

Dear Ms. Fletcher:

Your recent letter to President Bill Clinton was forwarded to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for response. OSHA is responsible for issuing the set of rules that you are concerned about.

We have heard from many people about the new rules and, as a result, we have been exploring ways to make the rules less burdensome on the people they affect. Of primary concern is roofers, especially those involved in home building. Right now we are working closely with the National Roofing Contractors Association and others to see what is the appropriate thing to do with regard to the questions you have raised. As the same time, we must not forget nor overlook the fact that fall accidents are the number one cause of death in the construction industry. The purpose of the new rules is not to make a company go out of business. Rather, the purpose is to make sure workers stay alive and are unhurt doing their jobs so that they can go on making a living.

We appreciate your interest in these matters and we encourage you to stay involved with what your government is doing. We can only improve things if we know what is wrong. If you wish to know more about how OSHA is solving the problem you are concerned about, please do not hesitate to contact either Mr. Roy Gurnham or Mr. Dale Cavanaugh of my staff in the Office of Construction and Maritime Compliance Assistance at (202) 219-8136.

Thank you for your interest in safety.

Sincerely,



John B. Miles
Director
Directorate of Compliance Programs