Federal OSHA plans to solicit more state plan input into the development of its National Emphasis Programs (NEPs), which the agency now plans to require state programs to implement, agency chief David Michaels told employees of the Washington state plan last month. An advocate for state-level programs welcomed the move, citing the diversity of states' industries as well as the resource-intensive nature of some NEPs, which can put a strain on enforcement efforts. OSHA faced initial resistance from states last year when it asked them to adopt federal OSHA's recordkeeping NEP, with states saying
December 30, 2025