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Stevens, Wild Call for Strengthened, Enforceable Workplace Safety Standards

December 8, 2020

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, U.S. Representatives Haley Stevens (MI-11) and Susan Wild (PA-07) sent a letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi calling for strengthened and enforceable workplace safety standards at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in any negotiated COVID-19 relief agreement.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been the deadliest health emergency to threaten American workers in decades, yet OSHA has failed to issue new standards to protect workers during this crisis. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General found that OSHA has failed to adequately investigate a majority of COVID-19 workplace safety complaints.

“Our country’s success in controlling community spread depends in large part on our success in controlling workplace infections,” the lawmakers wrote. “As frontline and essential workers continue putting themselves at tremendous risk each day, it is time for Congress to demand more from OSHA, the only federal agency with the authority to enforce safe working conditions.”

The full text of the letter can be found below.

“Dear Speaker Pelosi,

“We thank you for your ongoing efforts to fight for relief from the worsening COVID-19 pandemic on behalf of the American people. As you continue staying true to our shared principles, we specifically urge you to include strengthened and enforceable workplace safety standards at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in any negotiated COVID-19 relief agreement.

“Reports – including by the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General – have shown that OSHA has failed to investigate or stalled the majority of COVID-19 workplace safety complaints. As such, it is imperative that any negotiated COVID-19 relief package include the COVID-19 Every Worker Protection Act, which was in the House-passed Heroes Act. H.R. 6559 would protect all workers from exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace by requiring OSHA to issue an Emergency Temporary Standard, based on CDC guidance, that requires all workplaces to implement infectious disease control plans to keep workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensures workers who report infection control problems will not face retaliation.

“In May, the Education & Labor Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, on which we sit, held a hearing entitled “Examining the Federal Government’s Actions to Protect Workers from COVID-19”. This hearing brought to light OSHA’s failure to issue new standards to protect workers or to effectively enforce its current limited standards, despite the fact that the COVID19 pandemic has caused more deaths among workers in a shorter time than any other health emergency since the creation of OSHA 50 years ago.

“Our country’s success in controlling community spread depends in large part on our success in controlling workplace infections. As frontline and essential workers continue putting themselves at tremendous risk each day, it is time for Congress to demand more from OSHA, the only federal agency with the authority to enforce safe working conditions. Thank you for your steadfast leadership and for your attention to this important matter.”

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