The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has

approved the Maine State and Local Government Only State Plan, which will be responsible to

protect the safety and health of state and local government employees. The plan will cover more

than 81,000 employees and became effective August 5, 2015.

“This is a major milestone for Maine public employees and the state’s development of its

occupational safety and health program,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational

Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “We applaud them for their ongoing commitment to the

well–being of government workers who provide the most vital services that make the state of

Maine livable and enjoyable.”

This plan will be administered by Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Standards.

Federal and private sector employees will be exempt, and as such their employers will not be

impacted. Maine is now the sixth state or territory to create a state and local government

occupational safety and health plan, joining Illinois, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and

the Virgin Islands.

If you own a business in the state of Maine, it is important to understand if this will impact your

business in any way. If you partner with any local or state agencies, if you are a municipality, or

if you have any employees who partake in a joint force with state or local governments, then

these changes could impact you.

If you have any questions about how these changes impact your business, please contact us. If

you have anything to add about this new state plan, please leave a comment.