OSHA standards: to repeal or not to repeal

Will OSHA change under the Trump administration? (Should OSHA change under the Trump administration?) Should some standards be repealed? Will funding for the agency’s enforcement and voluntary protection programs decrease? Increase? Should OSHA be abolished and its duties handled by state agencies?

ISHN has conducted an online flash survey to find out what our readers think about OSHA and what changes, if any, they’d like to see happen within the agency and to the regulations it promulgates and enforces.

The results may surprise you. We’ll be presenting them to you in a series of online articles. The data offers a fascinating glimpse into how people tasked with keeping America’s workers safe and healthy feel about the government agency tasked with helping them do that. (Hint: it’s a bit of a love-hate relationship.)

Who participated in our survey?

Respondents belong to a variety of industries, with 61% involved with manufacturing with the next largest group of respondents (12%) belonging to building materials and construction business. Other industries represented: government (8%); wholesaler/retailer (3%); distributor (2%); freight forwarder/third party logistics/transportation services (1%), utility (1%), mining (<1%) as well as consulting, education – university, education – workforce development, consultation & training (eh&s), insurance, miscellaneous manufacturing, aftermarket splicer parts, ehs consulting, engineering, fire protection sprinklers, not-for-profit - plant genetics, ppe and zinc electro plating.

In this installment: OSHA standards

Respondents are divided on their opinions about OSHA standards, with 55% opposed to repealing standards and 45% in favor of repealing standards. Those who favor repealing the standards mostly belong to corporate management while Safety, industrial hygiene or environmental professionals and those citing government as their primary business or industry are against having the current standards repealed.

Of those in favor of repealing standards, which specific standards would they like to see on the chopping block?

Electronic recordkeeping is top repeal target

The majority of respondents favor repealing the electronic recordkeeping/public posting of employer injury/illness records (61%), followed by half desiring injury/illness prevention program or updated hazard communication standard to be repealed.

Also mentioned: the occupational exposure to silica final standard (41%); chemical management and permissible exposure limits proposal (39%); combustible dust proposal (38%); personal fall protection in general industry (27%); walking/working surfaces standard (27%); whistleblower protection (26%) ; occupational exposure to beryllium final standard (22%) and confined space in construction final standard (21%).

Of those who would like to see at least one current OSHA standard repealed, here are the standards they mentioned, and the percentage in favor of repealing them: