Reorganization of OSHA

On August 27, 2002 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it is acting to restructure and realign the agency. The reorganization of the agency will result in many changes in how OSHA operates. Of primary importance at this time, the reorganization will create a new "compliance assistance organization" within OSHA.

The current "compliance assistance organization," the Directorate of Federal State Operations, will be replaced by a new organization known as the Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs. The purpose of this reform is to formalize OSHA's effort to expand compliance programs, training, outreach and education programs. Significantly, this portion of the reorganization will result, for the first time in its history, in the creation of a separate organization within OSHA to coordinate compliance assistance activities such as recordkeeping, access to employee medical and exposure records, OSHA reporting and hazard.

The new "compliance assistance organization" will also include sub-offices that focus on employer partnerships, recognition and outreach services and alliances. The sub-offices include the Office of Small Business Assistance, the Office of Partnerships and Recognition and the Office of Outreach Services and Alliances. All of these offices are designed to reach out to the business and employer.