International Agency Says US Has Insufficient Number of Labor (OSHA) Inspectors-Confined Space

[Omaha Steve]

http://spewingforth.blogspot.com/2006/11/international-agency-says-us-has.html

International Agency Says US Has Insufficient Number of Labor Inspectors

2.2 million people are killed in workplaces around the world every year. According to the Interational Labor Office , a crucial part of addressing this crisis is a sufficiently staffed labor inspectorate. The International Labour Office is the permanent secretariat of the International Labour Organization, which is part of the United Nations.

In order to do that work, each country must have “sufficient number” of inspectors. What's a "sufficient number?" The ILO says that "industrial market countries" like the United States should have one inspector for every 10,000 workers. ("Transition economies" should have on per 20,000 workers, while less developed countries should have one inspector per 40,000 workers.)

So where is the United States? The US has 2,100 labor inspectors, or about one inspector for every 70,000 workers -- not even close to the ratio needed for a less developed country.

So, to come up to ILO expectations, the US would have to hire somewhere around another 12,600 inspectors, which would come add (very) roughly, another $1.5 billion per year to OSHA's budget. Sounds like a lot until you look at Liberty Mutual insurance company's estimate that employers pay almost $1 billion per week to injured employees and their medical care providers.

When Borat makes his second visit to the United States, he may want to look into this problem. The ILO reports that Kazakhstan has 1 inspector for every 24,000 workers.

[Omaha Steve]

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