OSHA Questions OIG Reliance On Outcome Measures As State Plan Measure

OSHA contends that activity and performance measures are key to evaluating the effectiveness of state plans, but that exclusive reliance on outcome or impact measures would be “extremely problematic” in monitoring the states, in a detailed response to a recent Labor Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) report finding significant gaps in the agency's ability to audit state plans using such measures. The agency, however, indicated that is developing a new OSHA state plan monitoring system, in consultation with the states, which may address issues in the report. OSHA further noted that it