OSHA Gets Praise, Criticism

October 4, 2023

Lawmakers face off over OSHA

  • OSHA has faced criticism from House Republicans, while Democrats defended the agency’s work in the face of underfunding.
  • Rep. Mary Miller, a Republican from Illinois, was critical of OSHA head Douglas Parker for the COVID emergency rule, which would have affected 84 million workers
  • Rep. Alma Adams, a Democrat from North Carolina, defended the agency, saying “there’s no question that OSHA is our nation’s main line of defense against unsafe working conditions.”
  • OSHA’s work on developing a standard to protect workers from extreme heat either indoors or outdoors also came under discussion. The comments came at a hearing before the House Education & the Workforce Committee’s Workforce Protections Subcommittee.
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OSHA investigates drowning

  • A 29-year-old employee of a Florida marine construction company drowned in five feet of water after being pinned under a fallen crane in March 2023.
  • Federal workplace safety investigators determined the company could have prevented the fatality by following required safety standards.
  • Employees of Upper Keys Marine Construction LLC were installing a piling foundation for a residential boat lift when the crane tipped over and fell into the water. The employee, who was inappropriately tasked to ride the load of the crane, became pinned under the crane’s hammer and drowned.
  • OSHA issued the company nine serious citations and proposed $92,191 in penalties, an amount set by federal statute for the violations.
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Input to improve the whistleblower program

  • OSHA will hold an online meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, to hear public comments and suggestions as part of its effort to improve outreach and training initiatives that support the federal whistleblower laws the agency enforces.
  • The meeting will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. EDT and is open to the public. The meeting will be offered in English and Spanish. Individuals interested in joining or participating in the meeting must register in English or in Spanish by Oct. 17, 2023. There is no cost to attend.
  • OSHA wants input on how to deliver better whistleblower customer service.
  • The agency also wants to know what kind of assistance can OSHA provide to help explain the agency’s whistleblower laws to employees and employers.
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Labor Dept. issues guidance on discrimination 

  • The U.S. Labor Dept. published a fact sheet that clarifies protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that prohibit certain forms of antisemitic, Islamophobic and related forms of discrimination in federally funded programs and activities.
  • Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin, applies to recipients of federal financial assistance, including grantees under programs administered by the department’s agencies, including OSHA.
  • The department plans on issuing guidance to workforce development agencies throughout the nation on their legal responsibilities under Title VI and WIOA’s Section 188.
  • In addition, the department plans to develop educational materials to help organized labor organizations, worker advocacy organizations, and other community members.
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