OSHA FY 2015 budget request includes $4 million for whistleblower program

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is requesting $565,010,000 for FY 2015, an increase of $7,987,000 compared to this fiscal year. The request submitted yesterday as part of the Department of Labor’s budget proposal includes:

• an additional $4 million and 27 full-time positions to support the agency’s whistleblower program, including enforcement and database management. Since 2009, the number of new whistleblower cases has grown by 37 percent per year.
• $3.5 million to ensure state-run agencies have the resources they need to operate programs that are as effective as federal OSHA’s enforcement programs.

OSHA’s budget request includes two proposed amendments to its appropriation language: 1) increasing the amount of money the agency may retain from training institute course tuition and fees from $200,000 to $499,000 per fiscal year; and 2) allowing targeted inspections of small establishments with the potential for catastrophic incidents.

Overall, OSHA's budget focuses on “making significant, tangible and positive differences in the lives of the American people; producing results that are measurable; and fostering continuous improvements in agency operations and outcomes." OSHA and its state plan partners employ approximately 2,200 inspectors responsible for the health and safety of 130 million workers at 8 million U.S. worksites.