Increased Inspections Results in Early Return of General Industry
HONOLULU—The Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced that continued improvements in Hawaii’s workplace safety and health regulation will result in DLIR’s Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division (HIOSH) reassuming responsibility for regulating Hawaii’s General Industry.
OSHA and HIOSH have shared regulatory responsibility for Hawaii per an Operational Status Agreement that went into effect in September 2012. The procedural agreement provides a roadmap for the agencies to work together as federal and state partners to jointly rebuild and strengthen the safety and health regulatory environment in Hawaii.
“In 2012, the state proactively identified a solution to restore regulatory capacity,” said Gov. Neil Abercrombie. “Working closely with OSHA, and in partnership with employers, we are on track to rebuild a strong HIOSH program, which will result in lower injury and illness rates, and improvements in the overall work environment and accountability. Our goal is to build a HIOSH that is stronger than it’s ever been.”
