Federal agencies Fines/penalties

OIG may review OSHA’s rulemaking process, citation evidence

October 7, 2015
audit Department of Labor Office of Inspector General osha OSHA penalties OSHA rulemaking
DOL

Washington – OSHA’s rulemaking process, interpretive guidance and policy memos may be evaluated this year by the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

OIG has issued an audit workplan for fiscal year 2016, which runs through Sept. 30.

Other potential audits include:

  • Determining if OSHA’s review process provides reasonable assurance that inspectors obtain and use sufficient evidence to support citations issued and penalty amounts assessed
  • Determining what role OSHA has played in ensuring safety and health at Job Corps Centers and reduction of Job Corps student Federal Employees’ Compensation Act claims
  • Continuing examination of OSHA’s abatement verification procedure

All of the OSHA audits are discretionary. In the workplan, Assistant Inspector General for Audit Elliot P. Lewis states that discretionary audits are conducted using funds that remain after resources are committed to mandatory audits, adding that OIG determines which discretionary audits to conduct “based on risk and potential impact on DOL’s mission and goals.”

Two audits currently in the works are examinations of Special Emphasis Programs and the Voluntary Protection Programs.