House bill eases OSHA burdens on small businesses.In July, the House of Representatives passed four separate bills designed to give small businesses some leeway lee·way n. 1. The drift of a ship or an aircraft to leeward of the course being steered. 2. A margin of freedom or variation, as of activity, time, or expenditure; latitude. See Synonyms at room. when dealing with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. agency established (1970) in the Dept. of Labor (see Labor, United States Department of) to develop and enforce regulations for the safety and health of workers in businesses that are engaged in interstate (OSHA OSHA n. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a branch of the US Department of Labor responsible for establishing and enforcing safety and health standards in the workplace. ). The four bills are: * The Occupational Safety and Health Small Business Day in Court Act (H.R. 739)--This bill gives the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission more flexibility to make exceptions for small businesses who have missed the 15-day deadline for filing a response to OSHA citations; * The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC OSHRC Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHA) ) Efficiency Act (H.R. 740)--This bill increases the membership of the OSHRC from three to five to ensure cases are heard in a timely manner; * The Occupational Safety and Health Independent Review of OSHA Citations Act (H.R. 741)--This bill defines the OSHRC as an independent entity and requires that the courts defer de·fer 1 v. de·ferred, de·fer·ring, de·fers v.tr. 1. To put off; postpone. 2. To postpone the induction of (one eligible for the military draft). v.intr. to the decisions of the Review Commission in legal disputes rather than the Secretary of Labor and OSHA staff; * The Occupational Safety and Health Small Employer Access to Justice Act (H.R. 742)--This bill allows small employers to be awarded attorneys' fees and court costs court costs n. fees for expenses that the courts pass on to attorneys, who then pass them on to their clients or, in some kinds of cases, to the losing party. when they challenge OSHA citations and win in court. The bills now face the challenge of passage in the Senate, where these same four measures were stalled in 2004. For more information, see the press release from the House Committee on Education and the Workforce: http://edworkforce.house.gov/ press/press109/first/07jul/house passesosha071205.htm. |
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