OSHA Ready to Implement Stricter Enforcement, Injury Reporting Programs

A new OSHA announcement comes during a time of outrage over the West Virginia mine disaster. The agency has announced that it will soon implement a stricter enforcement program called the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

The program will include more aggressive enforcement, targeting employers who have a continuous and consistent record of workplace safety violations, placing workers at risk. It will also include hefty penalties for employers who continue to flout OSHA regulations.

The program will provide for increased number inspections at work sites that have a consistent record of violations, as well as other work sites that are run by the same employer. The program will also provide for an increase in the amount of penalties levied on recalcitrant employers. Currently, the penalty for a violation capable of causing death or serious physical injury is only about $7,000, while the maximum penalty for willful violation is approximately $7,000. These penalties would be increased to between $25,000 and $250,000 respectively.

OSHA Injury and Illness Reporting System

OSHA is also proposing an ambitious rehaul of its injury and illness reporting systems. According to OSHA administrator David Michaels, the agency is proposing an enhanced Injury and Illness Prevent Program standard. The program will be introduced in certain industries which have the worst workplace safety violation records. The lack of resources may force OSHA to limit the program to certain work sites only. There is no detailed information of how the program will work, but as Houston, Texas work injury lawyers, we believe that the shift will be towards stringent record-keeping of injuries and illnesses, and a move towards electronic record keeping.