April 7, 2011 at 08:31 PM
Most OSHA inspections, probably except for imminent danger and fatality investigations, would grind to a halt nationwide in the event of a shutdown of the federal government, according to sources familiar with the last shutdown in 1995. The impact on state plan grant funding would also be left in doubt, causing a wide ripple effect across many states and making even a short-term funding stoppage of great concern, a union official said. The agency might also hasten to issue citations in cases where it may run out of time under the statute, an industry lawyer predicted. Almost no one would be wo