Statement of US Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA David Michaels on opening OSHA office in Las Vegas

WASHINGTON – Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, today issued the following statement announcing the opening of an OSHA office in Las Vegas, Nev.:

"Workers deserve to be kept safe on the job. When we found serious deficiencies in the way the state of Nevada was operating its safety and health program, it was necessary to take action. I am pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration will be opening an office in Las Vegas.

"The new office will provide a federal presence and oversight in Nevada to improve coordination and share resources, make direct oversight easier and more effective, and provide technical assistance to the state as needed to ultimately ensure workers are better protected."

This announcement follows the issuance of a report last year that detailed significant problems in the operation of Nevada's state OSHA program. Federal OSHA and the state program are working cooperatively to ensure that the problems identified in the report are addressed.