HR: OSHA's Review of State Programs
A recent review by the US Department of Labor's -Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) of Nevada's state run program, led to the disturbing discovery that 25 workplace fatalities occurred at construction sites, in a period of 18 months. All 25 of the worker's deaths took place while construction was occurring on the Las Vegas strip. During this building boom, it was reported that workers were dying at a rate of 1 construction worker every 6 weeks.
Serious safety flaws, lax oversight by safety regulators and cozy relationships between safety regulators and builders were rumored. The review of Nevada's program identified problems such as- failure to cite employers for clear hazards, improperly trained inspectors on construction dangers and lack of follow up to ensure treacherous conditions had been corrected.
Currently the Federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration monitors and oversees 27 state programs, including Maryland and Virginia. OSHA's role is to promote safe working conditions by setting and enforcing standards and providing training and education. The findings in Nevada have raised serious concerns about the monitoring of state plans. As a result, OSHA is reviewing all state programs and will implement a number of changes in hopes to strengthen their oversight and evaluation. According to OSHA, they are not trying to change the nature of the relationship between federal and states programs. They just want to assure that the 57 million American workers in state plans are properly protected.
Given the seriousness of the deficiencies in Nevada's program- it is clear that a federal evaluation of all state plans is more than necessary. All workers should have safe and healthy working conditions, regardless of the state in which they work. Furthermore, when it comes to the health and safety of employees in Nevada, the motto "What happens in Vegas- Stays in Vegas" definitely shouldn't apply.