OSHA Announces ‘OSHA Listens’ Public Meeting to Solicit Comments and Suggestions

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a public meeting, “OSHA Listens,” to solicit comments and suggestions from OSHA stakeholders on key issues facing the agency. The meeting is scheduled for Feb. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST in Washington, D.C.  “Public involvement in the government’s activities is a priority for this administration and is important to enhancing OSHA efforts to protect the safety and health of workers,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. “This public meeting gives us an opportunity to hear your ideas, suggestions and comments on key issues facing this agency.”  Some of the questions OSHA invites public input on include: 

• What can the agency do to enhance and encourage the efforts of employers, workers and unions to identify and address workplace hazards?
• What are the most important emerging or unaddressed health and safety issues in the workplace, and what can OSHA do to address these?
• How can the agency improve its efforts to engage stakeholders in programs and initiatives?
• Are there additional measures to improve the effectiveness of the agency’s current compliance assistance efforts and the onsite consultation program to ensure small businesses have the information needed to provide safe workplaces?
• What specific actions can the agency take to enhance the voice of workers in the workplace, particularly workers who are hard to reach, who do not have ready access to information about hazards or their rights, or who are afraid to exercise their rights?

The public meeting will be held at the Frances Perkins Building auditorium, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. To attend and/or make an oral presentation, individuals must register by e-mail at stakeholder.meeting@dol.gov by close of business on Feb. 3. In the e-mail, include:

• Your name, title, company or organization (if applicable), address, telephone number and e-mail address.
• If you wish to make a short presentation, the specific topic or issue to be addressed.

Those unable to attend may send written comments to OSHA Docket Office, Docket Number OSHA-2010-0004, Technical Data Center, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210, or submit them via e-mail to stakeholder.meeting@dol.gov. Identify all comments with the docket number.  

For more information on the scope of the meeting, attending the meeting or providing written comments, refer to the Federal Register notice at http://www.federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-00814_PI.pdf.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA’s role is to promote safe and healthful working conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, outreach and education. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov. 

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