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OSHA Killing the American Dream

OSHA Killing the American Dream
We can most definitely agree with the fact that a compliance officer cannot be equipped with the engineering factors of each and every piece of equipment that is out there. However, when the burden of proof is not on them, there is absolutely nothing that can stand in their way.

Just a month after President Obama became the captain of the White House, he signed a budget blueprint, that primarily seeks to increase OSHA's funding. These funds were aimed to, “vigorously enforce workplace safety laws and whistleblower protections, and ensure the safety and health of American workers."

On June 2009, Hilda Solis, the Secretary of Labor, had this to say, "There is a new sheriff in town.” she went on to say that, “Make no mistake about it; the Department of Labor is back in the enforcement business. We are serious, very serious." After reading this statement one often wonders, how much compliance is too much compliance? Absolutely nobody wants to come home in a body bag, but in today's economy, its becoming very difficult to accommodate all of OSHA's requirements, run a shop and keep up with payrolls.

Currently, the statement issued by the assistant secretary of Labor for OSHA, David Michaels, boasted that, "By the end of the current fiscal year, OSHA will have issued more egregious and significant cases than it has at any time in the last decade." This very statement, brings to light the fact that OSHA's officers, have long forgotten their oaths.

No one is really against any form of law enforcement, but they law enforcement agents also do take oaths to protect people. And hence these OSHA compliance officers, do need to take a breather from time to time and ponder about all the aspects of their duty.

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