"Protecting disaster site, support, and recovery workers"- a brief comment.
Jim Celenza (New Solutions, Vol. 18, No. 3) wrote of a lack of clarity as to whether OSHA's role in disaster response efforts is one of consultation or of enforcement. Here, the author suggests the problem originates not in a lack of clarity but rather in substantive policy changes implemented during the Bush administration. The revisions emphasize voluntary action at the expense of regulation and enforcement. The changes arguably are at variance with OSHA's legal obligation to ensure protection of workers against avoidable harmful exposures, including those that occur during disaster response efforts.
Newman
David M
DM
New York Committee for Occupational Safety and health, New York, NY 10038, USA. dave@nycosh.org
D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D018635:Rescue Work / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D014481:United States; D014489:United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration