Newsletter - January 5, 2012

Labor Department bids farewell to Michael Connors, after 37 years of helping protect American workers

Michael Connors, Regional Administrator for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in Chicago, has devoted his 37-year career with OSHA to ensuring workers are protected on the job.

"I am proud of how far America has come in protecting our workers," Connors said, who has been with OSHA for as nearly as long as OSHA has been around. "Injury and illness have decreased significantly for American workers since OSHA was founded in 1971, and we have made significant strides in changing the culture in American workplaces."

Injury and illness rates have been on a downward trend for a number of years now. In 1971, the National Safety Council estimated that 38 workers died on the job every day of the year. Today, the number is 12 per day, with a workforce that is almost twice as large. Injuries and illnesses also are down dramatically — from 10.9 per 100 workers per year in 1972 to less than 4 per 100 workers in 2009.

Connors began his career in August of 1974 as a field industrial health inspector in Ohio. He became the deputy regional administrator for Region V in 1982 and, with the exception of a few short tours of duty in Washington, DC, has occupied the same office in Chicago since 1988 as the regional administrator.

In the Midwest region, Connors says there have been tremendous improvements for workers in regards to chemical exposure, the use of solvents, lead in the workplace and protection for those in the trenching and excavation fields.

"We have tried to pitch that it is crucial to have strong enforcement coupled with fair inspections and aggressive outreach to educate and inform employers about safety and health matters," Connors said. "I believe we have an excellent relationship with industry and a reputation for being fair. Most employers have taken it to heart that it is their responsibility to ensure their workplaces are healthful and safe."

Connors also believes that OSHA has evolved and will continue to do so.

"When we first started we were about traditional smoke stack and manufacturing sites and construction. Today, we are working the entire spectrum, from protecting retail employees on Black Friday to those working in wind and green energies and with nano-technology," Connors said. "We are also more concerned today with health issues such as blood borne pathogens and ergonomics."

Connors believes other top accomplishments by OSHA during his tenure include the development of a safety and health program to cover OSHA field workers, the Voluntary Protection Program, which parent companies, unions and OSHA use to establish safety and health procedures in workplaces and on jobsites, as well as the judicial victories OSHA has won in court to protect workers, which validate the jurisdiction of OSHA and its evidentiary rights, when taking steps to protect workers on the job.

While much has been accomplished, Connors believes there are still many issues to solve on behalf of the American worker. "It is an employer's responsibility to know the risks in your own operation and to take steps to train workers on appropriate workplace safety and health prevention measures," Connors said. "That needs to be a common practice and we are not quite there yet."

"We also need to see greater protection for whistleblowers and we continue to see the impact of occupational diseases, especially those that result from long-term exposure. OSHA needs to update our exposure limits. They have not been changed significantly since the OSH Act was passed." Connors said. "I am very proud of what has been accomplished by OSHA and the public support the agency receives for protecting workers.

"OSHA has well-trained, dedicated professionals who will continue working with employers and employees to address workplace hazards. If we can learn to instinctively manage the hazards at our workplaces in a proactive manner, our nation will continue to be known as a world leader in worker protection."