OSHA’s budget request rises $11.2 million

OSHA’s fiscal year 2007 budget request is $483.7 million, an increase of $11.2 million over final FY 2006 appropriations. The budget includes increases for federal enforcement, compliance assistance and safety and health statistics.Acting OSHA administrator Jonathan Snare said that the increase will help the agency maintain its programs designed to promote both enforcement and compliance with regulations. “As we celebrate our 35th anniversary as America’s workplace safety and health leader, the President has proposed a budget that gives us the resources we need to continue to improve our efforts to further cut worker injuries, illnesses and fatalities,” Snare said. “This budget reinforces our balanced approach to worker safety and health-an approach that works.”The budget calls for $7.5 million to develop a new occupational safety and health information system to provide accurate and timely information on all OSHA enforcement and compliance assistance programs. The request also calls for $2.6 million to expand outreach for Hispanic and other non-English speaking workers, as well as for workers involved in cleanup and recovery operations along the U.S. Gulf Coast.OSHA has planned 37,700 workplace inspections throughout the year and will continue to focus its resources on workplaces and industries with high rates of injuries and illnesses.