In 2012, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) came together under an Operational Status Agreement to jointly rebuild and strengthen the safety and health regulatory environment in Hawaii.
The agreement reassigned specific industries to OSHA’s responsibility until the Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division (HIOSH) was able to be “at least as effective” as OSHA to ensure safe and healthy working conditions. OSHA committed necessary resources, staff, training and support to help HIOSH rebuild capacity and eventually assume their former role.
The Operational Status Agreement scheduled the return of Manufacturing in 2013, Accommodations/Food Service in 2014 and General Industry in 2015. Manufacturing and Accommodations/Food Service were returned as scheduled and the General Industry will be returned a year earlier, in October 2014.
As the state’s sole enforcement authority, HISOH is responsible for conducting inspections to reinforce its standards, cover both the private and public sectors, and operate occupational safety and health training and education programs to be on par with federal regulations. Click here to learn more.