Labor uneasy as OSHA withdraws safety regulations

[Enrique]

http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/141121-labor-uneasy-as-osha-withdraws-proposed-rules

Labor is growing increasingly concerned as a number of proposed rules that were designed to protect workers' health and safety have been withdrawn by the Obama administration.

They see the actions as fitting into a new tack by President Obama to soothe businesses’ concerns while the agencies fear tough new oversight from Congress with Republicans now in control of the House.

“All of these actions are coming because of the November elections and the fierce business opposition to anything,” said Peg Seminario, the AFL-CIO’s director of health and safety. “Just because the Chamber of Commerce and other business groups scream doesn't mean there is a legitimate reason to retreat. There are real negative impacts here that can harm workers.”

(...)

In a statement to The Hill, David Michaels, assistant secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, said the agency did not make political considerations when withdrawing the proposed rules.

“No. We fully expect and welcome Congressional oversight,” Michaels said. “Our goal in withdrawing these actions was to ensure that all affected stakeholders fully understand our regulatory and enforcement initiatives.”

(...)

[ProSense]

1. "Seminario said she doesn’t think there is 'a direct cause and effect"

<...>

On January 19, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) withdrew a proposed reinterpretation that would have strengthened its workplace noise standard. On Tuesday, the agency temporarily withdrew a proposed regulation that would restore a column on employer injury and illness logs to record their workers’ musculoskeletal disorders.

Seminario said she doesn’t think there is “a direct cause and effect” between the withdrawn rules and Obama’s new executive order on regulations, which was announced alongside a new regulatory review, but expressed labor’s worries about the situation.

<...>

The administration isn't withdrawing any safety regulations. It withdrew its own proposals temporarily for review.

[atreides1]

2. Define "temporarily"

Please.

6 months

1 year

2 years

Or until the Republicans lose their majority in the House

[ProSense]

3. I can't define it to your satisfaction, but

it means that these will come back at some point. Labor should be concerned and should pressure the administration to follow through on the proposals. Still, referring to the withdrawal of the administration's own proposals as a withdrawal of safety regulations is misleading. It gives the impression that existing regulations are being pulled.

One thing the administration should move forward with is this, from the OP article:

<...>

“We hope that these first two steps are a signal to the business community and employers in general that OSHA will ‘stop, look and listen,’” said Joe Trauger, vice president of human resources policy for the National Association of Manufacturers.

But Trauger said the actions by OSHA are not enough since other proposed rules are still being readied that could burden business. He pointed to a regulation being developed by the agency that would have employers find and fix their own workplace hazards under what will be called an injury and illness prevention plan.

<...>

[chowhound]

4. it's the admns response to unemployment

pull the safety r&r's, employees get killed company hires new employees thus lowering unemployment. there everyone's happy

[Sheepshank]

5. hyper reaction much?

And this is your splash onto DU?

perhpas you could point out some actual rules and laws on the books that are being withdrawn which will result in death.