ASSP leaders, OSHA budget, and trench collapse

What’s going on in EHS this week? Find out with Safety at the Frontline! 

Tune in on Mondays to get the latest safety news with Frontline’s podcast. We’re covering the top EHS news, along with some quick and useful tips, so you can stay safe and keep rocking on the frontlines. 

ASSP leaders on what OSHA should do 

Let’s start the week off with insight from ASSP leaders Christine Sullivan, Jim Thornton, and Pam Walaski. They recently issued a statement on what they think OSHA needs to change or do. 

ASSP President Sullivan pointed out that standards have no impact on where employee injuries are occurring. He also said that OSHA needs to do a better job using predictive analytics to focus their efforts on areas where they can make an impact. 

President-elect Thornton recommended that OSHA should require the recognition of qualified safety and health professionals for future regulations and consider more frequent use of the “negotiated rulemaking” method of developing OSH standards. 

Lastly, Senior Vice President Walaski suggested that OSHA could find a way to incorporate the required use of OSH professionals who use these standards into some of their activities, like local area directors who are negotiating with employers for the reduction of fines could require consultation as part of negotiations. 

OSHA budget for 2023 

OSHA, along with the Mine Safety and Health Administration, is expected to receive modest budget increases for the fiscal year 2023. This is far less than the amounts that Congress and the White House initially proposed. 

OSHA is set to receive around $632.3 million for FY 2023. That’s an increase of about $20 million, or 3.3%, from last year. 

Trench collapse in Mckinney, Texas 

And the last news of the week, in June 2022, two workers on-site at McKinney, Texas were in a trench when it collapsed. One of the workers was able to make it out but the second was unfortunately buried by the collapse. 

The contractor, Bandera Utility Contractors allegedly did not have a trench protective system, used a broken ladder and did not ensure it was at the appropriate height, and did not conduct pre-shift inspections, OSHA said. The contractor faces $165,952 in proposed penalties. 

Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast for more EHS updates and in the meantime, stay safe and stay tuned for next year!