March 3, 2006—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced the results of its enforcement program for FY 2005. Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jonathan L. Snare said the agency cited 85,307 total violations of OSHA standards and regulations during the year, an overall increase of 9.5 percent over the last five years.
Of particular note was the increase in willful violations issued during the year (62 percent over FY 2004). The agency also exceeded its total inspection goal for the year, and revealed major gains in the Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP)—a 200 percent increase from FY 2004 for the number of inspections that qualified as EEP cases.
Said Snare, “OSHA’s balanced approach to workplace safety and health includes strong, fair, and effective enforcement programs—and that approach is working.”
For more information, visit the OSHA Web site.
