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Washington – Gauging the effectiveness of federal and state-run OSHA programs is one of the Department of Labor’s biggest challenges, according to the DOL Office of Inspector General.

As the reported number of worker fatalities and injuries continues to trend downward, budgetary uncertainty may affect OSHA’s role in helping to create safer workplaces. And after more than 40 years of the agency’s existence, how has that role evolved?

Employment is booming in the oil and gas industry – but fatalities hit an all-time high in 2012. Through efforts such as a nationwide safety stand-down in November, OSHA, NIOSH, and the oil and gas industry are collaborating to address the dangers these workers face.

Washington – Nearly 30 percent of employers that rank among the top violators of federal wage and safety laws receive federal contracts, according to a report issued Dec. 11 by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee after a yearlong investigation.

This year’s presentation of the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA violations includes some comparisons with data from previous years.

Washington – The notice of proposed rulemaking for OSHA’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program Standard has been delayed nine months, according to the agency’s fall semiannual regulatory agenda, published Nov. 26.