With some of President Trump’s first official actions involving federal regulations and federal agencies, ISHN thought it a good time to conduct 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.
Our first report on the data collected in the survey focused on whether or not ISHN readers favored or opposed repealing some current OSHA standards (and if they were in the pro-repeal camp, which standards they’d like to see repealed). The split among respondents roughly mirrored the division apparent in the U.S. at present, with those who identify as corporate management constituting the majority of those supporting a repeal of standards and those who identify as occupational safety and health professionals opposing repeals. (Click here to read more.)
Our survey also explored the topic of OSHA’s budget; should it increase? Decrease? Stay the same? What we found: the answers depended upon whether the funding would be used for enforcement activities or for OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
About half of respondents would like to see funding for enforcement to remain at about the same levels as last year. However, half of those who would like any of the current OSHA standards repealed would like less funding for enforcement this year.
The numbers
All respondents
- 29% want OSHA to get less funding than last year
- 48% want OSHA to get about the same
- 23% want OSHA to get more funding than last year
Of those who would like current OSHA standard(s) repealed:
- 52% want less than last year
- 37% want the same
- 11% want more than last year
Of those who would NOT like current OSHA standard(s) repealed:
- 11% want less than last year
- 57% want same
- 32% want more than last year
By job function
Of those who work in safety-related functions:
- 25% want less than last year
- 50% want same
- 25% want more than last year
Of those who work in corporate management:
- 39% want less than last year
- 39% want same
- 22% want more than last year
Tomorrow: funding for OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
Previously: OSHA Standards: To repeal or not to repeal
