We’ve already seen a lot of changes recently as the Trump Administration takes over the White House. At ISHN, we’re focusing on how their approach to workplace safety and health is will differ from the previous administration.

I recently interviewed safety expert Heather Chapman, MS, CSP, CHMM, CEAS, for a podcast episode. Chapman has over 20 years of experience in the safety industry and is principal at Paradigm Safety. She shared some insights into the potential impact of the new administration on OSHA and its enforcement activities. She said she sees the administration’s focus on economic growth and the potential for a decrease in new regulations and enforcement.

Chapman also wrote an interesting article for ISHN on the topic.

Chapman pointed to the Trump administration’s first term as an indicator of its approach to OSHA. During that time, the administration implemented a policy requiring the withdrawal of two existing regulations for every new rule that was promulgated. This, combined with the administration’s focus on economic growth, could lead to a slowdown in the development of new regulations and a decrease in the enforcement of federal OSHA standards.

“Trump’s business background influences his focus on economic growth and being competitive, so he seems to view regulation perhaps as a barrier to achieving those goals,” Chapman told ISHN. “And during his first term, we saw a decrease in OSHA inspectors and very few enforcement related press releases, which signaled to a diminished focus on workplace safety regulation and compliance.”

Chapman also noted the potential for political shifts to impact OSHA’s enforcement activities and rulemaking. Under Republican administrations, there is often a decrease in the number of new regulations and a shift in enforcement priorities. This can create uncertainty for employers and employees regarding which standards apply and how they will be enforced.

Check out the podcast and Chapman’s article for more on this topic.

Potential for deregulation

Another article of particular interest right now is written by Bernard Fontaine, M.Sc., CIH, CSP, FAIHA, for ISHN. Fontaine has more than 47 years of professional and business experience in regulatory compliance, and has worked with AIHA for years. His article goes deep into federal and state regulations and what this all means for OSHA and businesses.

“Regulatory actions, when carefully designed, serve critical societal purposes, such as safeguarding workers, public health, and the environment. However, these regulations come with compliance costs that can burden businesses, leading to missed opportunities and higher operational expenses. Balancing these dynamics remains a persistent challenge,” he writes.

Read his article: https://www.ishn.com/articles/114572-deregulation-of-osha-to-reduce-the-burden-on-business

I’m sure there will be plenty more to discuss this year concerning OSHA and the federal government. I’d love to hear your comments on our LinkedIn page, where we share the latest news, articles and columns.