The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is facing scrutiny over the alleged removal of numerous workplace safety documents from public access, particularly those containing words such as "diverse," "diversity," and "gender." A recent letter from the Democratic members of the House Committee on Education and Workforce to Vince Micone, acting secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) raises concerns that this purge is linked to new executive orders from the Trump administration.
According to the letter, OSHA has taken down guidance on key workplace safety issues, including:
- Toxic chemical exposure protections for emergency responders.
- Workplace violence prevention in health care facilities.
- Ergonomic hazard identification in nursing homes, shipyards, and retail grocery stores.
- Employer compliance resources for OSHA standards.
The common denominator among these documents appears to be the inclusion of language related to diversity, gender, or inclusion. The letter suggests that these removals may be an attempt to enforce a de facto ban on certain terminology in response to recent executive orders targeting "gender ideology" and "diversity, equity, and inclusion."
The deletion of these documents presents significant concerns for employers. Employers rely on OSHA's guidance to ensure compliance with safety regulations and to mitigate legal risks. If essential workplace safety documents are removed due to political motivations rather than substantive regulatory concerns, businesses may face increased uncertainty and liability exposure. This uncertainty places a greater burden on employers to interpret OSHA’s evolving stance without clear guidance.
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