When it comes to occupational health and safety, 2024 is shaping up to be a significant year in terms of OSHA enforcement, rulemaking, and new initiatives. As the United States heads into a presidential and congressional election, regulatory activity and enforcement have become a flashpoint politically, potentially threatening the survival of major OSHA activities on the current regulatory agenda.

This session provides a primer on the basics of OSHA powers and enforcement initiatives. It will outline the priorities for the Biden Administration, the forecast for new rules, and the prospects for use of the Congressional Review Act.

Pending legislation to abolish the agencies OSHA and NIOSH and rescind the 1970 OSH Act will be discussed, as well as democratic measures to expand OSHA's authority into the public sector workplace to enhance whistleblower protections and strengthen criminal penalties. The regulatory activities of the Mine Safety & Health Administration (MSHA), impacting contractors at mine sites, including a broad new standard on surface mobile equipment safety, will also be addressed.

This program will capture OHS developments including:

• The December 2023 regulatory agenda, and status of rulemaking activities including workplace violence prevention, heat illness prevention, changes to lockout/tagout, powered industrial trucks, and mechanical power press rules, tree care standards, and progress on infectious disease prevention regulation
  
  
• Updates to OSHA's whistleblower protection policies
  
  
• Enforcement initiatives including SVEP and the IBI (new egregious) citation policy
  
  
• New National Emphasis Programs covering warehousing, fall prevention, and heat illness prevention
  
  
• The most cited OSHA standards in FY 2023
  
  
• ... and more!

What You'll Learn:Overview

• Overview: What Are OSHA's Powers
  
• Types of OSHA Inspections
  
• Event Driven Unprogrammed
  
• Programmed Inspections
  
• Sst Program
  
• OSHA National Emphasis Programs - New and Ongoing

OSHA Enforcement Initiatives

• Ibi Program
  
• Svep Program
  
• Changes to OSHA 2024 E-Recordkeeping Requirements
  
• Whistle-Blower Protections and 29 CFR Part 1904
  
• Impact of New DOL Independent Contractor Final Rule

OSHA Regulations and Rulemaking Agenda

• Specific Standards
  
• General Duty Clause
  
• Most Cited OSHA Standards
  
• OSHA 12/23 Rulemaking Agenda

Conclusion

• Unique Considerations in Msha-Regulated Workplaces
  
• Legislative Outlook
  
• Conclusion