New Head of OSHA Confirmed by the U.S. Senate! Doug Parker Will Take the Reins!

 It only took the United States Senate 1747 days to confirm a new head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  OSHA has been without a head since January 2017.  President Joseph Biden nominated Mr. Doug Parker on April 9, 2021, and the Senate confirmed him on October 25, 2021.  We have to remember that former President Donald Trunp nominated Scott Mugno in October 2017, but Mr. Mugno withdrew in May 2019 after waiting for 19 months for the Senate to confirm him.

Mr. Doug Parker, Assistant Secertary to OSHA

Mr. Parker had his Senate confirmation hearing held on May 27.  Obviously, many of the questions posed to Mr. Parker were related to the pandemic and the soon to be released OSHA emergency temporary standard regarding protecting workers from COVID-19 for General Industry.

Mr. Parker has served as the head of California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (CAL/OSHA) since September 2019.  In his confirmation hearing he defended CAL/OSHA's emergency temporary standard on COVID-19 and strongly defended OSHA's plans for a new emergency temporary standard.  Currently, OSHA's emergency temporary standard for COVID-19 only applies to healthcare and healthcare support service workers.

OSHA is 50 Years Old

It is obvious from his experince at CAL/OSHA and other similar safety-related organizations he has the skill set and leadership abilities to be the new head at OSHA.

OSHA Website Focuses On Green Job Hazards

Wind Farm in California

The Occupational Safety and Health Adminisitration (OSHA) standards cover many of the hazards in green industries and employers must use the necessary controls to protect workers.  The green industry is being defined broadly as an industry that helps to improve the environment.  The jobs created by this green industry (typically called green jobs) also create opportunities to help revitalize the economy and get people back to work.  Examples of the different green industries include:

• Wind Energy
• Solar Energy
• Geo-thermal
• Biofuels
• Recycling
• Green Roofs
• Hydrogen Fuels
• Weather Insulating/Sealing

Green jobs do not necessarily mean that they are safe jobs. Workers in the green industries may face hazards that are commonly known in workplaces -- such as falls, confined spaces, electrical, fire, and other similar hazards.  These hazards may be new to many workers who are moving into the fast-growing green industries.  Additionally, workers may be exposed to new hazards which may not have been previously identified.  An example of this are workers in the solar energy industry may be exposed to Cadmium Telluride, a known carcinogen, if adequate controls are not implemented.  The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) requires employers to comply with safety and health regulations promulgated by OSHA.  In addition, the OSH Act’s General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), requires employers to provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm.  In the absence of an OSHA standard, OSHA can enforce the General Duty Clause. 

One of the key concept for all industries, but especially those that are just beginning to grow, is "Prevention through Design (PtD)" – designing the process/equipment in a way that eliminates hazards to the workers who use them.  The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a web page discussing this concept, visit it at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/PTD/.  The basic premise of this is to address occupational safety and health needs in the design process (having occupational safety and health professionals working with design engineers) to prevent or minimize the work-related hazards and risks associated with the construction, manufacture, use, maintenance, and disposal of facilities, materials, and equipment.  If the design eliminates the hazard before what is being designed is built, then the hazards may never be created.  Visit OSHA's website at http://www.osha.gov/dep/greenjobs/index.html to better understand the job hazards in each of the different green industries.

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• NIOSH Science Blog - "Going Green: Safe and Healthy Jobs"
• OSHA Log Form 300A Posting Due February 1, 2011. (futureenv.blogspot.com)