Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker addressed attendees at the ASSP Safety 2024 Conference and Expo, providing an update on OSHA initiatives and outlining the agency’s commitment to protecting worker safety and health. Parker discussed a range of topics, including ongoing enforcement efforts, new and upcoming rulemaking, and the importance of fostering a workplace culture that prioritizes employee well-being.

Parker emphasized OSHA’s focus on high-hazard industries, vulnerable workers, and employers who demonstrate a disregard for safety regulations. He highlighted the agency’s National Emphasis Programs (NEPs) on fall prevention and warehousing, distribution, and high-risk retail sectors, both of which aim to address persistent hazards and reduce worker injuries and fatalities. He also noted the success of the Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) in prompting corporate-wide settlements with major retailers like Dollar General and Dollar Tree, leading to significant safety investments and improvements.

Audience Q&A

In the second half of the session, Parker took questions from the audience moderated by ASSP President Pam Walaski, delving deeper into specific agency actions and priorities. Responding to a question about the recently proposed heat illness prevention rule, Parker emphasized its grounding in scientific evidence and alignment with existing state-level regulations. “It’s very much grounded in the science of…past criteria documents, the work of the government and industrial hygiene conference,” Parker stated. He also noted the rule’s similarities to successful programs already in place in several states, adding, “We do have some empirical evidence that this approach has worked and has been effective and has been workable.”

On the topic of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Parker acknowledged the challenges faced by employers in fostering inclusive workplaces and stressed the importance of understanding workers’ diverse backgrounds and experiences. “Your workers come to you with a cultural context,” Parker explained. He underscored the need for employers to build trust and create environments where workers feel safe speaking up about concerns.

Addressing the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in overturning the Chevron deference on OSHA’s regulatory authority, Parker expressed confidence in the agency’s statutory authority, stating, “I think that in the case of OSHA, our statutory authority is pretty clear with respect to the promulgation of standards.” He acknowledged that the decision could have implications for rules that broadly interpret provisions of the OSH Act, underscoring the need for careful justification and emphasis on occupational hazards.

Regarding the potential for OSHA to adopt new metrics for measuring workplace safety performance, Parker highlighted the agency’s upcoming collection of injury and illness data under the new electronic recordkeeping rule. “We’re going to have the opportunity to really delve into that data and differentiate between different types of injuries,” Parker stated, adding that this will allow OSHA to utilize “a less blunt instrument” when assessing workplace safety.

Parker also addressed questions on a range of other issues, including the modernization of the lockout/tagout standard, the application of the emergency response rule to wildland firefighters, and the use of drones in OSHA inspections. He concluded his remarks by emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach to worker safety, health, and well-being.

“When we talk about health and safety management systems, we’re talking about something broad,” Parker stated. He encouraged employers to think beyond compliance and embrace total worker health, integrating factors like mental health and well-being into their safety programs.