With $4.6 trillion in cuts proposed over the next decade, it’s difficult to predict what effect Rep. Paul Ryan’s ambitious GOP budget plan would have on specific programs and agencies, such as OSHA, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

This morning, Secretary Ray LaHood announced to the employees of the U.S. Department of Transportation that after serving for four years in President Obama’s Cabinet, he would not be staying on for the second term. The Secretary sent the following email to DOT employees across the country, informing them of his plans:

The Washington Post’s Wonk Blog has a piece this week on the burgeoning costs of regulations. WaPo’s Jim Tankersley writes, “If you’re a business leader or conservative economist who worries that the federal government is strangling the economy in red tape, 2012 was a banner year. If you’re a consumer advocate or an environmentalist anxious for the government to do more to boost public health … ditto.”

In yet another repercussion of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has blocked BP from entering into any new contracts with the federal government.

The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), airlines and aviation labor unions have announced a partnership with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to share summarized safety information that could help prevent accidents.
 

There has been a lot of talk recently about the upcoming “fiscal cliff.” Just what is this “cliff” and how does it impact occupational safety and health? First of all, you need to know that no matter who you are or what you do; the fiscal cliff will impact you and your family. Let’s take a quick look –