The ups and downs of the budget of U.S. OSHA since 1980, as well as fluctuations in the number of inspections, are the subjects of a new report from OMB Watch.

The report's main finding is that over the past 3 decades, OSHA's budget, staffing levels, and inspection activity have dropped while the American workforce has grown and new hazards have emerged.

Since reaching an all-time high of $500 million in 2001, OSHA's overall budget has fallen into the $470 million to $490 million range in each subsequent year.

But OMB Watch is more concerned about the enforcement budget. The bulk of OSHA's work is enforcement, says OMB Watch, yet "the federal budget for federal and state enforcement activity has declined more sharply over time than the overall OSHA budget."

Under the federal OSH Act, the fed covers up to 50 percent of total costs of state enforcement programs.

Currently, 21 states have workplace safety programs approved by OSHA.

When inflation is taken into account, OSHA's enforcement budget is 12 percent lower than it was in 1980. Declines in enforcement relate also to the size of OSHA staff, says OMB Watch.

For 2006, OSHA had a staff of 2,092, the second-lowest level in 30 years.

In 1980, OSHA staff numbered 2,950. Inspections have dropped from 1.77 per 100,000 workers in 1980 to 0.668 per 100,000 today.

But fatalities have also dropped, concedes the report. In 1970, the fatality rate was estimated at 18 per 100,000 workers. In 2006, about 4 deaths per 100,000 workers were recorded.

The report also acknowledges that as the enforcement budget has dropped, OSHA's funding for compliance assistance has risen. The shift represents the current administration's emphasis on promoting voluntary compliance and helping employers understand federal regulations.

OMB Watch's report on OSHA's budget is available at http://www.ombwatch.org/article/articleview/4143/1/308.

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