A New Chance for Worker Health and Safety OSHA Reform Takes Center Stage

1. www.afscme.org A New Chance for Worker Health and SafetyOSHA Reform Takes Center Stage Katherine Cox Director, Health and Safety Program AFSCME International April 27, 2010

2. www.afscme.org A Little Background • Congress enacted the Occupational Safety and Health Act in 1970; it has never been updated. • 25 states do not have coverage for public sector employees. • 5214 = number of workers killed on the job in 2008.

3. www.afscme.org Total Number of Fatal Injuries in Selected Industries, 2008 • Highway accidents 1,215 • Transportation accidents 2,130 • Contact with objects and equipment 937 • Exposure to harmful substances or environment 439 • Construction 975

4. www.afscme.org Week of March 6, 2010 • Worker had climbed a ladder to watch his gang.  A rolling crane was approaching his location and he did not see the second crane coming. The walkway of the crane struck him off the ladder. He was then caught by a piece of pipe and dragged until the crane was stopped. (Texas)

5. www.afscme.org Week of March 13, 2010 • Worker was killed when he overturned his side dump truck and struck a parked water truck. (AZ) • Worker was working beneath a trailer when the jack stand broke. (MN)

6. www.afscme.org Week of March 20, 2010 • Worker was working on a large RV vehicle with the front suspended on a jack. The jack collapsed, and the vehicle fell on the worker. (Florida) • Worker was directing the driver of an 18-wheeler truck backwards. Worker ended up in a position where the 18-wheeler tires rolled over and crushed his head. (Louisiana)

7. www.afscme.org Week of March 27, 2010 • Worker was working on the wheel and axle line, using an overhead bridge crane to lift a 5,100-lb locomotive wheel set.  Worker lifted the locomotive wheel set, causing it to swing in a pendulum motion, pinning his leg against another stationary locomotive wheel set. (MO) • Worker was working on a motor, contacted live wires and was electrocuted. (MA)

8. www.afscme.org The Protecting America’s Workers Act • Expand OSHA coverage to workers not currently covered. • Provide coverage under the OSH Act to state and local public sector workers, federal workers and others who lack full OSHA coverage. • Penalties for federal agencies that violate the job safety law.

9. www.afscme.org PAWA Provisions (con’t.) • Increase OSHA civil and criminal penalties for job safety violations. • Raise penalties for OSHA violations to $12,000 for serious violations and $120,000 for willful and repeat violations. • In event of worker death, new higher penalties would be set and include a mandatory minimum.

10. www.afscme.org PAWA Provisions (con’t.) • Require correction of hazard while employer contests violations. • Enhance whistleblower protections for workers who raise job safety concerns and report injuries or illnesses.

11. www.afscme.org PAWA Provisions (con’t.) • Expand worker and union rights. • Require that workers be paid for time spent participating in OSHA inspections. • Provide workers and unions the right to contest the classification of violations and proposed penalties, not just the abatement date. • Give workers and unions the right to object to modifications of citations that have been issued and to ask OSHA and the Review Commission to review these objections.

12. www.afscme.org PAWA Provisions (con’t.) • Rights for workers and family members who have been injured or made ill to: • meet with OSHA inspectors; • receive copies of any citations; • be heard before a settlement is reached.

13. www.afscme.org What You Can Do • Contact your members of Congress and urge them to support and co-sponsor the Protecting America’s Workers Act (H.R. 2067, S. 1580).