OSHA Enjoys Recognition for Service to Small Businesses
OSHA received a welcome accolade last week when the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of the National Ombudsman recognized it for outstanding service and responsiveness to small businesses. Six federal agencies were honored for demonstrating a strong commitment to regulatory fairness and fairness in enforcement that assisted the office in support of small businesses' interests.
"We are honored to be recognized by SBA's National Ombudsman for exceptional service," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin Foulke, Jr. "We will continue to address the concerns of small business owners and develop techniques to make compliance easier and more business-friendly so that employees can be better protected."
The other federal agencies are the Department of Transportation, EPA, Customs and Border Protection within the Department of Homeland Security, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services of HHS, and the Department of Commerce. Congress created the ombudsman's office of SBA in 1996 to help small businesses that experience excessive federal regulatory enforcement actions. "OSHA has shown a strong commitment to regulatory fairness and has assisted the Office of the National Ombudsman in supporting small business interests," said Nicholas Owens, SBA's national ombudsman. "OSHA's dedication to providing small businesses with the regulatory tools they need, as well as working with the National Ombudsman to address fairness in enforcement, truly promotes an environment in which America's small businesses can grow and succeed."