Highlights
- In 2022, Oregon OSHA conducted more than 1,800 consultations.
- In federal fiscal year 2022, Oregon OSHA staff members conducted more than 1,900 inspections. More than 3,100 violations of safety and health standards were cited on 1,255 citations. Penalties assessed for these employer violations in federal fiscal year 2022 were $2.48 million.
Oregon OSHA and Federal OSHA
Oregon OSHA provides leadership and support to business and labor through consultative services, enforcement programs, voluntary services, conferences and workshops, technical resources, publications, and a resource center.
The federal Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 went into effect in 1971. The Oregon version of this legislation, the Oregon Safe Employment Act (OSEA), was passed in 1973. The OSEA is now administered through a state-plan agreement with federal OSHA.
In May 2005, Oregon became the 17th state to gain final approval for meeting the requirements of the 1970 federal act. This approval means federal OSHA formally relinquished enforcement authority in areas under Oregon OSHA jurisdiction. Many states that have received this recognition employ rules that are identical to federal requirements. In contrast, Oregon has designed its safety standards based on Oregon’s unique working conditions. Therefore, the approval of a plan that differs substantially from the federal program is an important achievement. Even with final state plan approval, federal OSHA continues to fund a portion of Oregon OSHA’s budget and annually monitors its performance through the five-year strategic plan.