OSHA chief Charles Jeffress recently outlined top priorities to Congress for the next fiscal year, beginning October 1. Except for standards-setting, all of them require budget approval by Congress:
  • Have a compliance assistance specialist in each local OSHA office.
  • Have an ergonomics expert in each of OSHA's ten regions.
  • Increase the number of on-site consultation visits by 3,200 in FY 2001, bringing the total 30,700.
  • Set up satellite teletraining for compliance officers and consultation staff.
  • Conduct approximately 4,000 site-specific inspections in FY 2001. Hire 63 additional compliance officers.
  • Survey current industry safety practices and support a NIOSH study on high-risk workers to prioritize standard-setting.
  • OSHA's priority standards are ergonomics, revision of the recordkeeping rule, and occupational exposure to tuberculosis.