The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), representing more than 33,000 safety and health professionals, is urging Congress to recognize the intrinsic value of occupational safety and health to the American public by increasing the funding for specific federal agencies during the current appropriations process. In a May 15 letter sent by ASSE President Frank H. Perry, CSP, PE, to Congressional members, Perry said ASSE supports increased funding for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH); and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) because of their national focus on occupational safety and health.
These agencies contribute greatly by either developing and enforcing occupational, public, and environmental safety and health laws, or by providing valuable research, investigative services, and training in a non-regulatory role. They also develop innovative solutions to occupational safety and health problems and assist in passing those along to safety professionals. One example of this is the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS), sponsored by NIOSH and scheduled for this October in Pittsburgh. It is aimed at sharing new research findings and identifying new research needs.
One of the significant issues in Congress, Perry noted, regarding this year’s OSHA budget will be whether to shift money away from enforcement and federal compliance assistance to state consultation. ASSE believes that the current balance between enforcement and consultation is good public policy and should be maintained. In fact, the injury and illness rate reductions over the last six years are a testament to that, Perry noted. ASSE also believes that maintaining the existing balance would assist OSHA in improving its image from that of workplace safety policeman to a full service agency.
ASSE believes that the inequity involving NIOSH funding should be corrected. The NIOSH Safety Research Division needs to be appropriately funded to reach its key objective, to research effective and efficient ways to reduce occupational fatalities and injuries. Currently, overall funding for NIOSH is not consistent with other agencies in the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Increasing NIOSH’s funding will enhance the country’s ability to guide occupational safety and health research over the next decade and improve worker protection in an efficient and effective manner, Perry wrote.
From the Daily Regulatory Reporter
