Safe Workplace and Safety News

This is the safety news blog for the Safe Workplace web site. We cover workplace safety related news with a focus on how safety, or a lack of safety, impacts employers, employees and their families. We also cover topics such as safety training, safety tools, and legal issues related to safety. For regular safety news and information enter your email address in the box above the Subscribe button to the right (then click on the button).

Friday, February 27, 2009

Obama Budget Increases Workplace Safety Funding

Several sources are reporting on President Obama's proposes $27 million increase in the OSHA budget. You can read about it in a report from the McClatchy Washington Bureau.

The article states that "Obama's budget blueprint, released on Thursday, seeks to increase funding to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. More precise funding details for the job safety agency and other federal programs won't be released until April."

The article goes on to state:

"The extra money also would be used to increase enforcement of wage and hour rules, and enforce equal opportunity in federal contracting."

"Though both houses of Congress will be able to write their own appropriations bills in coming months, lawmakers have shown signs that they will make OSHA a bigger priority. A 2009 appropriations bill now before Congress boosts spending and requires the agency to do a better job tracking injuries and illnesses."

Labels: OSHA, safety politics