OSHA recently announced its plans to restructure its regional operations and establish a new regional office in Birmingham, with the intention of establishing a stronghold in states like Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Florida. OSHA’s new regional office in Birmingham is not just a reorganization—it is a clear signal that OSHA is focusing on the southern states, where it has previously maintained a lighter touch. This move should be seen for what it is: a push toward increased unionization and federal oversight in economically-expanding states known for their politically-conservative and business-friendly environments.
Businesses in those states must now prepare for heightened scrutiny by OSHA, along with increased unionization efforts, and should start preparing for the inevitable OSHA inspection now—routinely auditing their facilities for safety and adopting an OSHA inspection management process, including training supervisors on that process.