Mr. President: Please start with OSHA when you review regulations

In an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal published Tuesday, President Obama announced an initiative to review ineffective government regulations that hinder the economy.

The President said the purpose of the review was to “make sure we avoid excessive, inconsistent and redundant regulation.” He said the focus would be on rules that “stifle job creation and make our economy less competitive.”

One place to start would be OSHA. Employers have complained that under the “New OSHA” brought in by the Obama administration, the agency has not been focused on helping employers improve health and safety, but rather on punishing them.

This has been evident in a variety of ways, from an increase in OSHA penalties, to creation of a Severe Violators Enforcement Program, to a proposal for a tighter interpretation of noise standards. At the same time, an effective program that encouraged voluntary cooperation between companies and OSHA has been de-emphasized.

Introducing more moderation at OSHA and restoring the voluntary cooperation program with industry would go a long way to righting the “excessive” regulation that the President pointed to. I wish him well in his efforts.