WHEN CONGRESS FAILED TO AGREE on funding levels for fiscal year 2014, which began Oct. 1, the first federal government shutdown in nearly 20 years led to furloughs for thousands of employees, as well as cutbacks of numerous government services. OSHA was severely affected by the shutdown. Nearly 90 percent of its workforce was furloughed, and inspections were limited to fatalities, catastrophes and employee complaints of imminent, deadly danger. Regulatory development stopped. Compliance assistance stopped. Many scheduled and unscheduled inspections stopped.
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