What does the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission do?

Updates published annually

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) is an independent federal agency responsible for resolving disputes between the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (a sub-agency of the Department of Labor) and employers over workplace safety and health citations. It serves as a neutral arbiter, providing administrative trials and appellate reviews to ensure fair outcomes under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It was established in 1970.

In FY 2024,

$14.2M

was spent by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission

In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission

How much does the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission spend?

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission spent $14.2 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.00021% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 91st among federal agencies in total spending.

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of OSHRC net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2024

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission’s federal spending has decreased from $30.3 million in 1980 to $14.2 million in 2024.

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by OSHRC, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission's spending has decreased 53.1%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.

The department’s spending grew less than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, OSHRC accounted for 0.00021% of all federal spending. That’s 0.0001 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.0011 points lower than in 1980.

Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to OSHRC, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.

In FY 2024, all of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission's spending was direct.

The chart below outlines all OSHRC spending.

How did the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to OSHRC, FY 2024

How many people work for the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission?

Some 51 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission as of September 2024. This is 10.5% fewer people than the agency staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has decreased 10.5% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for OSHRC, September 2010–2024

OSHRC accounts for 0.0022% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. OSHRC constituted a smaller share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 than in 2010 (0.0028%).

While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission’s share of the workforce (0.0022%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.00021%).

Who leads the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission?

The OSHRC is led by a Chairman, who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The Commission consists of three members who serve staggered six-year terms, and the president designates one of them to serve as Chairman.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

Office of Personnel Management
FedScope
Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury
Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement