Feds to Take Over Hawaii Job Safety Regulation

The federal government will temporarily take control of parts of Hawaii’s authority to regulate workplace safety.

In response to federal concern to staff reductions in the Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division, the state has agreed to let the Occupational Safety and Health Administration step in.

The 2009 reductions led to the division not being able to conduct as many inspections.

The agreement announced this week by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations will temporarily suspend the division’s enforcement authority in specific industries. OSHA will assume enforcement control until the state can improve. The division will resume control over industries as it rebuilds during a three-year period.

The state says enforcement responsibilities will be clearly divided to prevent confusion over which agency is regulating an industry.