Enforcement or Prevention ?

Here is the question:  is it better to enforce or prevent?  This is circulating around D.C. as the 2011 budget has a major funding reduction in the OSHA Employer Voluntary program. The Voluntary program allows employers to cooperate with OSHA and work out issues on safety and prevention without worrying about getting hit with fines or citations. If this program is eliminated by the 2011 budget , it will be a major disadvantage to many who use it to make their workplaces safe for employees. The word is that the funding will be "swtiched" to enforcement. This approach is surely in the interest of revenue generating and will put employers on the defensive. In my experience most employers try to do the right thing for their employees safety. Many times they have safe workplaces but are behind in the OSHA regs and this could cost them big  if the focus of OSHA changes. Stay tuned!   Until next time be safe out there and know your risks.  K

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