• Home
• Workers
• Regulations
• Enforcement
• Data & Statistics
• Training
• Publications
• Newsroom
• Small Business

May 29, 2012
Contact: Office of Communications
Phone: 202-693-1999

OSHA schedules stakeholder meeting
to help assess effectiveness of State Plans

WASHINGTON – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has scheduled an informal stakeholder meeting to solicit comments on how to determine whether OSHA-approved State Plans are at least as effective as the Federal OSHA program as required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. 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 meeting is scheduled for June 25 in Washington, D.C.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, which created OSHA also encourages states to develop and operate their own workplace safety and health plans. As a condition of OSHA approval, State Plans must provide standards and enforcement programs that are "at least as effective as" the federal OSHA program. OSHA is responsible for approving and monitoring State Plans.

Currently there are 27 OSHA-approved state occupational safety and health plans, including 22 states and territories that operate comprehensive State Plans covering the private sector and state and local government employers and employees. Five states and territories operate State Plans that cover only public sector employees.

The meeting will be held June 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Room N-3437, Washington, DC 20210. To participate in the stakeholder meeting, or be a nonparticipating observer, individuals must submit a notice of intent electronically, by facsimile or by hard copy, no later than June 11. Interested parties may also submit written comments. See the Federal Register notice for details.

OSHA is working with the Occupational Safety and Health State Plan Association (the organization of officials from each of the OSHA-approved state plans) to examine OSHA's system of monitoring the effectiveness of State Plans, as well as to address a recommendation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General for OSHA "to define effectiveness, design measures to quantify impact, establish a baseline for State Plan evaluations, and revise monitoring to include an assessment of effectiveness." Draft indicators will be available on the OSHA's webpage prior to the meeting.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

###

U.S. Labor Department news releases are accessible on the Internet at www.dol.gov. The information in this release will be made available in alternative format upon request (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the Central Office for Assistive Services and Technology. Please specify which news release when placing your request. Call 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755.