If you’re looking for some excitement this morning, the House Education and Workforce Committee’s Subcommittee on Workforce Protections will hold a hearing entitled “Safe Workplaces, Stronger Partnerships: The Future of OSHA Compliance Assistance.”
You can watch it live here at 10:15. It will be archived for later viewing.
Why? Probably so the Republicans can argue that OSHA should focus on compliance assistance (e.g. training, fact sheets, the Onsite Consultation Program and the Voluntarily Protection Program) instead of enforcement, and, of course, the plight of poor, oppressed small businesses.
Now, I have nothing against compliance assistance in general, but the truth is that large businesses don’t need OSHA compliance assistance and small businesses have the on-site consultation program. The only group of workers who really need more compliance assistance (as well as more enforcement) are vulnerable workers.
Testifying for the Democratic minority will be AFL-CIO Health and Safety Director Rebecca Reindel.
Republican witnesses will be Chris Williams, Executive Director, Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association, Myron Harper, Health and Safety Director, Cintas Corporation and Kevin Sell, Senior Manager, Corporate Development, Kwest Group, testifying on behalf of the Associated Builders and Contractors.
After the hearing starts, testimony can be found here.
Thank you for sharing, I’ll be watching this after work….