FROM THE DESK OF RANDALL A. KROCKA 

SMOHIT Administrator 

Funding for OSHA, NIOSH, MSHA and CSB Stays the Same

They won't be getting an increase, but federal worker safety agencies will not, at least, see the slashes in funding that some were predicting. The FY 2018 budget passed by Congress recently maintains funding for OSHA, the   Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Chemical Safety Board (CSB) at 2017 levels.

Worker safety advocates like the   National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) expressed approval for Congress' budget action, but pointed out that OSHA still has less funding than it did in 2010.

"Workers and their families need strong safety protections," said Jessica Martinez, co-executive director of National COSH.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 5,190 workplace deaths from acute trauma in the U.S. in 2016, the highest number of fatalities since 2008.