VPP likely to take a hit under OSHA’s proposed 2014 budget

It appears likely that the Voluntary Protection Program would take a hit under the President’s proposed 2014 budget for OSHA, while funding for the whistleblower enforcement program would substantially increase.

According to a report by Bloomberg BNA, OSHA would hire 47 new staff members for the whistleblower enforcement program with the program’s budget increasing $5.9 million to $21.8 million. Meanwhile, 33 positions would be cut from the compliance assistance program.

David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, said in a web conference about the budget that enrollment growth in VPP would slow.

“To focus on the integrity and modernization of OSHA’s cooperative programs and reduce the backlog of VPP recertifications, the agency will slow the growth in the number of new cooperative program participants,” Michaels said.

He also said OSHA has no plans to turn VPP into a fee-based program, an idea that OSHA previously explored.