The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) compliance assistance programs, such as the Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), provide incentives to employers to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses without punishing job creators.
Today, the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections held a
hearing to examine how to better support these programs.
Subcommittee Chairman Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA) noted how the modern workplace is changing, and the law must meet these new needs. “New industries, emerging technologies, and evolving hazards require OSHA’s compliance assistance programs to be more innovative, accessible, and adaptable than ever before. Updating compliance assistance programs calls for a collaborative approach. Strong partnerships among state agencies, nonprofit organizations, industry leaders, and other stakeholders will be vital. We must combine enforcement efforts with educational opportunities for employers and workers who want to meet their compliance obligations if we are going to protect workers,” he said.
Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) questioned the notion that by participating in VPP, employers skirt their compliance obligations.
Mr. Myron Harper, National Health and Safety Director at the Cintas Corporation, explained how VPP workplaces are held to a higher standard. “When it comes to audits… on an annual basis we need to submit our records of where we are for continuous improvement. And then every so often, [OSHA has] to come back and re-evaluate our site to make sure that we’re held to that standard. In addition to that, when submitting our applications, [incident rates] have to be below or at the industry average,” Mr. Harper stated.
Rep. Mark Messmer (R-IN) highlighted how employee involvement is a key ingredient in creating a safe workplace. In his line of questioning, he asked
Mr. Chris Williams, Executive Director at the Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association, if employee buy-in creates a culture of safety at participating VPP worksites. “Absolutely sir. It is a culture… where safety is the core value upon which every decision is made and where employees—frontline workers—are empowered to stop [unsafe] work to own that program,” Mr. Williams said.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) discussed
H.R. 2844, the Michael Enzi Voluntary Protection Program Act, and how Congress can finally get this legislation across the finish line. “I think there has been a misconception that the [VPP] is pro one party or the other… It’s a bill for everyone. It’s a bill that’s had bipartisan support in previous sessions, including this one. It’s a simple piece of legislation, it aims to make a program that has been so successful for reducing workplace injuries and illnesses and engaging employees in workplace safety and health [and] it simply makes it permanent… this is a victory for all American workers,” explained Mr. Williams.
Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) asked
Mr. Kevin Sell, Senior Manager of Corporate Development at the Kwest Group, testifying on behalf of the Associated Builders and Contractors, how OSHA can better support programs that help businesses protect employees rather than push agendas to get headlines in the news. Mr. Sell also pointed to H.R. 2844 but added how the shortage of compliance assistance specialists has hindered workplace safety. “[We need to get] these areas their compliance assistance specialists back so they can work with the people [who] want to improve health and safety and the lives of their workers and enable the businesses to grow. We’re all trying to grow in a way that’s healthy, safe, and smart to provide workers a quality of life and to provide this great country with a future,” Mr. Sell concluded.
Bottom line: Republicans see employers as partners to assist in providing safe work environments, not adversaries in need of punishment. Committee Republicans are working to enact pro-growth policies that allow workers, job creators, and their families the opportunity to thrive.
