Federal Agencies

Washington – Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez went before lawmakers March 26 and defended recent regulatory actions taken by OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has failed to fully implement key components and planned improvements of its federal bus and truck ratings system in a timely manner, according to a recent report from the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.

Washington – OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration shifted more than $15 million in funding from education to enforcement efforts due to last year’s sequestration, according to a Government Accountability Office report released March 6.

Washington – NIOSH has launched an initiative aimed at better protecting responders before, during and after a large disaster.

Washington – Federal officials attended a March 6 Senate subcommittee hearing to discuss the progress of various rail safety efforts.

Washington – President Barack Obama’s fiscal year 2015 budget request for the Department of Transportation, released March 4, would fund multiple transportation safety agencies and programs at higher levels than previous fiscal years.

Washington – Funding for OSHA’s whistleblower protection programs would receive a $4 million increase under President Barack Obama’s fiscal year 2015 budget proposal for the Department of Labor.

Amid recent industrial catastrophes, OSHA is considering revisions to its 20-year-old Process Safety Management Standard. What changes is the agency considering? Stakeholders weigh in.

Washington – The Chemical Safety Board on Feb. 26 issued an open letter expressing disappointment with Tesoro Corp. for allegedly hindering the agency’s investigation of a Feb. 12 sulfuric acid release at a Tesoro refinery in Martinez, CA.

Washington – In response to recent derailments, many railroads that ship oil will begin taking new safety precautions this year, under a new agreement between the Department of Transportation and the Association of American Railroads.