18. Department of Labor and Related Agencies · Minor
Focus health and safety inspections on egregious offenders
Printed page 615 18. Department of Labor and Related Agencies
“Focus health and safety inspections on egregious offenders, as other inspections are often abused and usurp state and local government prerogatives.”
What has happened
- Not started
OSHA has not narrowed inspections to egregious offenders. It went the other way in the window by expanding programmed inspections: a new National Emphasis Program on Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations took effect on 2026-07-31, applying OSHA-wide and requiring comprehensive safety inspections of warehousing, mail and parcel operations, and a National Emphasis Program on outdoor and indoor heat-related hazards took effect on 2026-04-10. Programmed inspections under an emphasis program are selected by industry, not by an employer's record.
Research log
What was searched, and what didn’t count as evidence
Research notes
- “Moved the other way” under §3b: the Status stays not started and the contrary action carries the Evidence.
- The FY2027 Budget states an enforcement philosophy that points the Quote’s way — it “emphasizes outreach, education, and assistance—rather than harsh penalties” — but the operative directives do the opposite, and a budget narrative does not change an inspection-targeting policy. Recorded here rather than as a competing event.
- OSHA’s directive index was enumerated at https://www.osha.gov/enforcement/directives/search (osha.gov and msha.gov both answer 200 to a browser User-Agent even though dol.gov does not); twenty directives issued in the window, none narrowing inspection targeting.
- Action
- restrict
- Object
- Health and safety inspections
- ID
- 1700