As part of the roofing industry, you are aware of the enormous
effect the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has
on regulating workplaces. And in past years, OSHA has received
mixed reviews from the business community because of a widely held
view that the agency was penalizing businesses rather than working
with them to improve employee safety and health.
But that impression is beginning to change. Since President Bush
named John Henshaw to oversee OSHA in June 2001, the agency has
received widespread praise from a broad range of industries. The
primary reason for the new perception is that Henshaw has placed
compliance assistance, education and partnership at the top of
OSHA's priority list. Henshaw is quick to point out that negligent
employers should not take the new direction as a sign that OSHA
intends to weaken or deviate from its mandate to improve workplace
safety and protect U.S. workers. Rather, Henshaw believes that only
through cooperative efforts will government and businesses achieve
their goal of safe, healthy workplaces.
Following are several examples of OSHA's new mindset.
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