Happy May Day! Celebrated around the world as International Worker Day, May Day is a remembrance of the labor movement of critical events leading to the creation of eight-hour workdays for workers, improvement of safety standards, and the right to organize. Over time and through the Cold War, May Day, in the United States became associated with Communism and the former Soviet Union and has not been celebrated or recognized in the U.S. as it is in the rest of the world. Odd, since the American labor movement had much to do with recognition of the day.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA is the agency charged with enforcing and creating federal standards for workplace safety. This week Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, held hearings on the effects and enforcement of OSHA penalties. Senator Kennedy plans to move for an increase in the penalties OSHA is allowed to impose. Pointing out that penalties for violations of the South Pacific Tuna Act are nearly five times the penalties OSHA is legally allowed to impose for a willful violation, Kennedy argues that worker safety is not properly protected by OSHA.

Nevertheless, OSHA can impose a $70,000 fine per violation. For small businesses, such penalties can be devastating. OSHA citations, in some cases can also be used against the business in lawsuits and workers compensation hearings. Adopting and maintaining a proper, OSHA compliant, worker safety plan and training employees is one of the best ways to lower business insurance premiums and to avoid penalties and fines.