The OSHA Strategic Management Plan for 2003-2008 aimed to assess, manage, and decrease the number of workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses in specific industries during that time period. As stated in a May 12, 2003 OSHA Trade Release, the plan was designed to align with the Department of Labor’s Strategic Plan (OSHA’s 2003-2008 Strategic Management Plan Goals, 2003).
The Strategic Management Plan of OSHA for 2003-2008 defined three objectives: reducing occupational hazards, promoting safety and health culture, and strengthening agency capabilities. The plan emphasized the importance of direct intervention, compliance assistance, cooperative programs, and strong leadership in achieving these goals. It outlined the approach to be taken by OSHA in prioritizing and accomplishing these objectives.
OSHA management believed that by utilizing enforcement, compliance assistance, and cooperative programs, they could lessen fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. Additionally, they anticipated that achieving these goals would cultivate a positive culture where industry and the nation would wholeheartedly embrace workplace health and safety (National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health, 2002).
In the plan, OSHA implemented specific reduction goals for workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses in certain industries. To drive change, OSHA introduced new enforcement methods such as follow-up inspections, programmed inspections, improvement of case settlement processes, corporate notification of significant enforcement actions, and the incorporation of federal court enforcement processes permitted by the OSHA Act of 1970 (National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health, 2002). Throughout the targeted time frame, my employer utilized OSHA’s assistance and cooperative programs to navigate the rigorous inspection process and ultimately achieve Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) status for a complex construction project.
Reference
The Department of Labor provides information on OSHA’s 2003-2008 Strategic Management Plan Goals. The document can be found at http://www.sha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=10214.
Additionally, the Department of Labor offers details on the OSHA 2003-2008 Strategic Management Plan. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/StratPlanPublic/strategicmanagementplan-final.html.
Furthermore, the Department of Labor features the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health from 2002. Access it by going to http://www.osha.gov/dop/nacosh/nmin_03_july.html.
