That’s the bottom line question agency boss Dr. David Michaels is asking of “stakeholders” affected by OSHA’s actions. Here is OSHA’s current strategic plan, sketchy on specifics, leaving plenty of wiggle room for how the agency actually executes the plan — and not a single mention of “ergonomics” anywhere.

Mission The purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.

Leadership Assistant Secretary David Michaels, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Organization

• 2,343 total FTE, with 329 in the National Office and 2,014 in Regional Offices
• Current FY 2010 Resources: $558,620 million

Goals

• Ensure workplaces are safe and healthy
• Secure safe and healthy workplaces, particularly in high-risk industries
• Assure fair and high quality work-life environments
• Ensure voice in the workplace.

Results We are measuring results differently.

• OSHA is using broad high-level measures as well as new measures for agency-funded activities and programs to assess how they benefit you.

How will we measure success?

• Reducing the number of fatalities associated with the four leading causes of workplace death – falls, electrocutions, caught in or between, and struck by – for sectors covered by the OSH Act in general industry and construction.
• Increasing the number of targeted hazards abated. Targeted injuries and illnesses include: hearing loss in manufacturing, illnesses in general industry and construction, and workplace amputations
• Increase worker and employer awareness of OSHA rights, responsibilities and programs to improve “voice in the workplace.”

Activities include: expanded outreach and education targeted to small business and vulnerable workers in high risk industries, achieving an increase in health and safety protections and a reduction of occupational injuries, illnesses and fatalities

Do you believe these are the right outcomes? Do you believe these are the right measures for those outcomes?

Strategies We are using new approaches.

• OSHA is focusing on actively promoting safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women by: setting and enforcing workplace safety and health standards; delivering effective enforcement; providing outreach, education and compliance assistance; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.

Our strategies to achieve these goals include:

• Strengthen enforcement capabilities - target the most egregious and persistent violators.
• Strengthen regulatory capabilities.
• Increase OSHA’s presence in the workplace.
• Protect workers in high-hazard occupations.
• Protect vulnerable and hard-to-reach worker populations.
• Review and restructure penalties to ensure that penalties imposed are consistent with the seriousness of the violation and act as effective deterrence to violators.
• Maintain a strong outreach and education program.
• Enhance and strengthen compliance assistance program for small businesses.

Do these strategies make sense to you?