The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has completed restructuring its regional operations. The restructuring includes creating a new region in Birmingham, Alabama. This move aims to enhance workplace safety, ensure equitable service, and give workers a stronger voice across several Southeastern states.
Creation of the Birmingham Region
The newly established Birmingham regional office will serve seven states: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. This region’s establishment comes as businesses in the Southeast expand, particularly in food processing, construction, heavy manufacturing, and chemical processing industries.
“Establishing the Birmingham region sets the stage for OSHA’s growth in the Southeast,” said Dorinda Hughes, the newly appointed Regional Administrator for Birmingham in a recent press release. “Our dedicated team is committed to equitable worker safety and ensuring workers’ voices are heard without fear of retaliation.” Hughes, who joined OSHA in 1991, has held various leadership roles throughout her career and brings extensive experience to the position. Jack Rector, who has been with OSHA since 2003, will serve as Deputy Regional Administrator.
The restructuring is driven by a desire to reduce response times to complaints, workplace fatalities, imminent dangers, and other significant events. The agency recognized that the Southeast has unique challenges, with industries prone to workplace hazards that require specialized attention. The Birmingham office is expected to improve OSHA’s ability to swiftly address safety issues, conduct inspections, and educate employers on maintaining safe work environments.
Expanded San Francisco Region
In the western U.S., OSHA has merged its previous Regions 9 and 10 into the new San Francisco Region. This consolidation aims to streamline operations and allocate resources more effectively. The new San Francisco region will manage safety oversight in states such as California, Washington, Nevada, Alaska, and American Samoa.
By combining two regions into one, OSHA hopes to increase its capacity to address safety concerns in the western U.S., where diverse industries—from agriculture to tech—pose unique challenges for worker protection.
New Geographic Region Designations
As OSHA originally announced in May, its regions no longer have numbered designations. Instead, each region is now recognized by its home office location. The updated regional names are as follows:
- Boston Region (formerly Region 1)
- New York City Region (formerly Region 2)
- Philadelphia Region (formerly Region 3)
- Atlanta Region (formerly Region 4)
- Chicago Region (formerly Region 5)
- Dallas Region (formerly Region 6)
- Kansas City Region (formerly Region 7)
- Denver Region (formerly Region 8)
- San Francisco Region (formerly Regions 9 and 10)
- Birmingham Region (new)
This consolidation aims to streamline operations and allocate resources more effectively.
Strengthening OSHA’s Presence Across the U.S.
This new structure positions OSHA to respond more effectively to workplace hazards, enforce safety regulations, and provide critical resources to both employers and employees. By aligning its regions with geographic designations, OSHA hopes to create a more transparent and navigable system for all stakeholders.
“The changes reflect the nation’s demographic and industrial changes since the passage of the OSH Act and will allow our professionals to better respond to the needs of all workers, including those historically underserved,” explained Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker in a May 8 press release. “With a stronger enforcement presence in the South and more consolidated state oversight and whistleblower presence in the West — an area dominated by states that operate their OSHA programs — we can direct our resources where they’re needed most.”
OSHA is committed to continually improving workplace safety across the country. The restructuring of OSHA’s regional offices reflects a proactive effort to enhance operational capacity, provide better support for workers, and address safety concerns more efficiently. By creating the Birmingham Region and consolidating regions into a strengthened San Francisco office, OSHA is strategically positioning itself to effectively meet the evolving needs of workers and employers in the dynamic labor market.
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