Issue link: http://palletcentral.uberflip.com/i/842358
20 PalletCentral • May-June 2017 palletcentral.com SAFETY For now, the FY 2018 administration-request for OSHA's proposed budget is $543.3 million, which is about $10 million less than in FY 2017. This is not much of a reduction but it is highly likely that, once Congress is given the overall funding limit, it will move money from one pocket to another – for instance, shifting funds from standards development to alliance and partnership programs, or reducing funding for inspectors and moving that into compliance assistance personnel. On a related note, funding for the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) is slated to take a 40% cut, from $335.2 million currently to $135.2 million for FY 2018. This could greatly harm ongoing intramural and extramural research programs that have historically resulted in identification of technologies to protect workers. NIOSH also produces training materials and videos, reviews chemical safety, identifies emergent hazards, and conducts Health Hazard Evaluations. In the past, NIOSH and NWPCA worked in an alliance and NIOSH provided assistance on critical issues including noise and hearing protection, and amputation prevention. Meanwhile, there are some legislative measures introduced by Democrats, to strengthen OSHA protections (Protecting America's Workers Act), and to restore the "continuing violation" rule by changing OSHA's statutory limitations period and definitions to permit paperwork citations to be issued more than six months after the record was created. OSHA's 2016 "continuing violations" final rule was rescinded by Congress under the Congressional Review Act earlier this year, and can now only be restored by Congress, not through future rulemaking. While the Democratic initiatives have zero chance of enactment, there is also a bipartisan measure that would codify OSHA's Voluntary Protection Program. We can expect, once things settle down, that the GOP will have its own ideas about OSHA reform legislation too. Stay tuned! PC The anti-retaliation provisions took effect on December 1, 2016, and so are enforceable already. Adele L. Abrams is an attorney and safety professional who represents companies in litigation with OSHA and also provides safety training and consultation. The Law Office of Adele L. Abrams PC has three offices: Beltsville, MD; Denver, CO; and Charleston, WV. Adele can be reached at 301-595-3520 or www.safety-law.com.