The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has
proposed an approval for a new occupational safety and health plan for Maine state and local
employees. Per the OSH Act, employees of state and local governments are not granted federal
coverage. They are, instead, only covered through an OSHA-approved State Plan. If approved,
this plan will cover approximately 81,000 public workers; coverage to private sector and
federally employed workers will remain unchanged and under the jurisdiction of federal OSHA.
“The Maine Department of Labor is to be commended for taking this step forward to provide
protection for these workers,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and
Health Dr. David Michaels. “This should serve as a model for other states that are interested in
maintaining the safety and health of their public workforces.”
If you do business in the state of Maine, chances are this new plan will not impact you. If,
however, you are a state or local government, contract with state or local governments, or have
any ties with state or local governments, this new plan might impact you. So if you fall into that
second category, it is important you understand what these changes are, how they impact state
employees, and ultimately how they can impact your business. And if you have not done so or
are unable to do so, it is probably in your best interest to work with a qualified third party
occupational safety and health auditing firm which can help you to understand how these
changes impact you.
If you have any questions about this new plan and how it impacts your business, please contact
us. If you have anything to add about the proposed occupational safety and health plan for Maine
state and local employees, please leave a message.
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