Advocacy groups release database of State Plan regs

Washington – A new database represents the first comprehensive collection of all unique state occupational safety and health rules and laws.

Half of the states in the country operate their own OSHA program, and many have rules that are not identical to federal OSHA. The database, launched April 1 by Public Citizen and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Public Health Law Research program, organizes State Plan-enforced standards into six categories: general industry, oil and gas, construction, maritime, mining and agriculture.

Users can compare state and federal rules, or research the unique rules in a particular state or industry. Any state rules identical to federal OSHA standards are not included in the database, nor are administrative-type rules such as recordkeeping.

“We hope the database will be a useful resource for workers, employers, researchers and regulatory officials alike, allowing them to more easily identify states with certain standards and compare them with existing federal OSHA rules,” Keith Wrightson, worker safety and health advocate for Public Citizen, said in a press release.