OSHA Drawing Democratic Fire Over Regulations

[Omaha Steve]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120779012229903611.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Agency Criticized
For Emphasizing
Voluntary Action
By KRIS MAHER
April 10, 2008; Page A4

The head of the federal agency that oversees workplace safety is under growing pressure from Democratic lawmakers who accuse the agency of putting off needed regulations.

Edwin G. Foulke Jr., the assistant secretary of labor in charge of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has been drawing fire from members of the House and Senate labor committees. They are calling for tighter regulations on hazards such as combustible dust and more protection for workers in the oil, gas and food-processing industries.

Mr. Foulke, appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the Senate, has headed OSHA, part of the Labor Department, since 2006. OSHA denied a recent report in a trade publication that Mr. Foulke plans to leave the agency before Mr. Bush leaves office. Mr. Foulke wasn't available for comment.

The biggest criticism of OSHA under Mr. Foulke centers on the agency's preference for seeking voluntary compliance from employers on safety goals rather than establishing new mandatory regulations. "OSHA's No. 1 responsibility is to set rules and enforce them. OSHA has not lived up to this promise," said Rep. George Miller, a California Democrat.

OSHA said the agency has published or proposed eight major rules, including one requiring employers to pay for protective equipment worn by workers. Moreover, the agency says that it has exceeded its inspection goals in each of the past two years, and that recent declines in the rates of reported workplace injuries and illnesses, including a 17% reduction since 2002, indicate its success.

"Election-year partisan attacks go with the territory," said Labor Department spokesman David James. "Worker-fatality, injury and illness rates are at record lows under this administration's leadership."

FULL story at link.