Whistleblowers have rights
- OSHA has opened several whistleblower investigations over the past several months with ExxonMobil Corp. Wells Fargo and others.
- The agency has had whistleblower protection authority since 1970 when it established protections for those who file safety and health complaints or participate in inspections or investigations.
- The act also established OSHA’s authority to investigate whistleblower complaints and weigh any evidence of retaliation.
- Employees who have experienced retaliation are entitled to relief, including getting rehired or reinstated to their former positions with back pay.
Reducing recordable events
- Employers can improve care and how they can help reduce the number of OSHA reportable events.
- Telemedicine can help triage injuries and provide adequate on-site treatment, thereby reducing the number of employees who are sent to the ED.
- First-aid education is also vital and clear instructions and proper training can outline direct steps for employees to follow in an emergency.
- Many employers use a preventative approach to reduce the number of reportable and recordable events by focusing on lowering the risk of incidents resulting from faulty equipment or untrained employees.
OSHA struggling to reduce the construction death rate
- The death toll in the construction industry hasn’t changed in the past decade, and questions are being raised about what OSHA can do to reduce those fatalities.
- A recent report found that 10 out of every 100,000 workers died between 2011 and 2020, partly attributed to weak enforcement, meager inspections and fines, and the opioid epidemic.
- Funerals totaled 1,008 in 2020, the most recent data available.
- Falls and electrocutions still account for the most fatalities.
OSHA inspectors finally grow
- The number of OSHA inspectors grew 19% in the fiscal year 2022, which ended several years of minimal growth or losses, according to agency data.
- OSHA ended fiscal 2022 with 892 inspectors, up from 750 at the close of fiscal 2021 — the lowest ever for the agency.
- The growth partially fulfills a Biden administration promise to boost OSHA’s enforcement capabilities.
- OSHA doubled its inspection force to roughly 1,500 by 2024, returning the agency’s enforcement ranks.