Dangerous Work Conditions Spur An Increase in OSHA Inspections

Injuries on the job in Pennsylvania are often traced to failure to comply with OSHA standards. U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta is proposing a way to decrease preventable workplace accidents by increasing OSHA inspections.

Acosta testified that in 2017 and 2018, OSHA workplace inspections occurred at a rate of about 32,000 each year, an increase from the number of inspections in 2016. According to Acosta, OSHA has hired 76 new inspectors, and as soon as they complete their training, the number of inspections per year will increase even more.

Training should take one to three years, depending on experience and the complexity of inspections they will perform.

Workplace hazards uncovered

In the 2018 fiscal year, in addition to its 32,000 inspections, OSHA personnel made 26,362 compliance assistance visits, covering more than 970,000 workers, and identifying and correcting 135,021 hazards.

"During this time, these new hires do not generally conduct independent inspections," Acosta said. "OSHA has been hard at work to onboard and train new inspectors and expects to have a significant increase in inspectors in fiscal year 2019."

Construction Dive, an industry website, states that according to Acosta, President Donald Trump is requesting $557 million for OSHA in his Fiscal Year 2020 budget request, an increase from last year, which would pay for additional staff, including 30 additional compliance officers and five more whistleblower investigators.

What you should do if you're hurt on the job.

The Pennsylvania workplace accident attorneys at Vellner Law know that when workers are injured, the company must be held accountable.

If you or a loved one was injured in a workplace accident, consult with Vellner Law today. No case is too small. No company is too big. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.