It’s a pretty big breakfast meeting and it takes place every four months or so. Approximately 200 members of the General Building Contractors Association’s (GBCA) Philadelphia chapter get together with OSHA representatives three times a year to learn more about improving safety in Philadelphia area construction projects.

OSHA’s FY 2019 budget request reflects an emphasis on compliance assistance, an increase in enforcement and the elimination of a longstanding safety and health training grant program – a move sure to draw the hire of some in the occupational safety community. The agency says its request for $549,033,000 for FY 2019 will allow it beef up its VPP initiative and restore 24 of the 33 compliance assistance positions that were lost in a five-year-long budget crunch.

With a new administration taking a new approach to federal agencies, ISHN thought it a good time to survey our readers to find out what they feel should be the shape and direction OSHA takes going forward. For instance, the majority of respondents felt that increased educational tools and programs should be the top priority for the next OSHA Chief. Half or more respondents expect a thorough review of standards or increased support for the voluntary protection program.

OSHA has released two fact sheets that stress the importance of tracking metrics and investigating potential hazards to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

This week, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) sent a letter in support of H.R. 2500, the “Voluntary Protection Program Act,” introduced by Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind. The Act would codify the Department of Labor’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), ensuring that the program would continue with adequate funding.

Here is what ISHN noticed is “in” and “out” in terms of EHS trends based on education sessions and corridor talk at the ASSE Safety 2014 meeting in Orlando this past June.

I don't think I2P2, the must-vaunted Injury and Illness Prevention Program hailed by OSHA as its numerous uno standards priority, has snowball's chance of passing.