A bill has reached the Wyoming state legislature for the first time in over 25 years - the last time OSHA regulations were looked at by the state government. The bill proposes to increase the penalties for violations of workplace safety, both violations that result in fatalities and those that result in injury. In 2007, Wyoming had the highest workplace fatality rate of any state, almost four times the rate of the national average. Although the numbers did improve in 2008, many legislators still feel they owe it to their state's workers to ensure everything possible is being done. The bill's main democratic sponsor hopes that it will encourage companies to consult with OSHA over problems before they become workplace deaths. The bill has passed the Wyoming House and is currently being discussed and presented in the Senate.
See "Wyoming bill to hike workplace safety fines and advances", Ben Neary, Business Week, February 24, 2010