Center for Progressive Reform Member Scholar Rena Steinzor on OSHA: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the most maligned and least respected federal agency with responsibility for protecting people's lives. Now that Hilda Solis has been confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Labor, we can only hope that a new OSHA administrator with a strong stomach, an iron will, and a yes we can attitude will be chosen to take over this troubled agency. Workplace injuries and illnesses numbered 4.1 million in private sector workplaces for 2006, or an average of 4.4 per 100 workers, down from 10.9/100 in 1972. Unfortunately, in all likelihood, these figures substantially understate the true incidence of injuries and illnesses. Recent studies by independent economists suggest that actual injuries may be as much as 30 to 69 percent higher than Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. A total of 5,488 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2007... (Click on the headline to read the full post.) Full text