Occupational Safety and Health: Worksite Programs and Committees

GAO discussed the feasibility of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requiring employers to have safety and health programs. GAO noted that: (1) although GAO could not quantify the overall impact of such programs on injury and illness rates, it identified substantial evidence of their benefits; (2) safety and health programs extend enforcement agencies' limited resources; and (3) although several potential barriers to implementing safety and health programs exist, states requiring such programs have found ways of addressing those problems.