Senators ask Labor Department to review OSHA's performance; follows AFL-CIO's lawsuit
A group of senators have asked the inspector general of the Labor Department to review OSHA's actions in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, as the agency has been criticized for not doing enough to protect workers. Earlier this month, the ALF-CIO had filed a lawsuit attempting to compel the agency to enact a temporary emergency standard in order to protect front line workers. According to the letter, OSHA citations have dropped 70% since the national emergency was declared on March 13; that the inspection rate has dropped, and that not a single citation related to the virus has occurred. While OSHA has revised its enforcement policies as of May 26, saying it would increase inspections and enforce record-keeping requirements, the senators believe guidance would benefit from an audit. During the pandemic, OSHA has maintained the lowest number of inspectors since 1975, according to a recent report published by the National Employment Law Project.
See "Senators ask Labor Department to review OSHA's performance; follows AFL-CIO's lawsuit", Courtney Bublé, Government Executive, June 1, 2020