OSHA Seeks Concurrent Jurisdiction With Hawaii State Plan

OSHA is requesting that Hawaii's state OSHA program let federal OSHA assert concurrent jurisdiction or face possible withdrawal of the state's health and safety plan -- an action rarely taken by federal OSHA with respect to state plans. The move came as OSHA released audits last week finding major shortcomings across state plans, and in the case of Hawaii, gaps that OSHA determined were significant enough for federal officials to step in. Under current law, OSHA can only assert concurrent jurisdiction if a state plan agrees, but legislation pending in Congress would allow OSHA to take such act