"We applaud the state of Oregon for their ongoing commitment to the safety and health of their workers," said Jonathan L. Snare, acting assistant secretary of labor for OSHA. "We welcome Oregon as the latest state to be granted final approval."
Snare presented Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski with the certificate of final approval of Oregon's state plan authority.
Final approval for the Oregon state occupational safety and health plan means that federal OSHA standards and enforcement authority no longer apply and concurrent federal jurisdiction is relinquished for all occupational safety and health issues covered by the Oregon plan, with the exception of temporary labor camps.
The OSH Act permits states and territories to establish their own job safety and health programs subject to federal approval and monitoring. To be eligible for final approval, a state must operate an occupational safety and health program that is at least as effective as the federal program, meet certain compliance staffing requirements and participate in OSHA's integrated management information system. Twenty-four states and two territories operate OSHA-approved state plans.
Oregon has been operating an approved state plan since 1972 that is administered by the Occupational Safety and Health Division (OR-OSHA) of the Department of Consumer and Business Services. The plan covers all private sector employers except those on Indian lands, federal agencies, the U.S. Postal Service, contractors on military reservations and most maritime employers. These employers remain under federal jurisdiction. The Oregon plan also covers public sector employers.