▶ 0:13:45I don't feel it. I think
▶ 0:14:59Good morning. This subcommittee on workforce protections will come to order. I note that a quorum is present. Without objection, the chair is authorized to call a recess at any time. Today's hearing will explore compliance assistance programs offered by OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and its state partners.
▶ 0:15:19We'll consider ways to strengthen these federal programs and learn more about the public private safety partnerships that OSHA's mission includes with goals of protecting those who work hard every day to provide for their families and deserves to do so in safe working conditions. Since its establishment in 1971, OSHA has developed enforcement efforts and robust compliance assistance programs.
▶ 0:15:45These programs help protect the millions of Americans who work hard every day to provide for their families by giving employers the tools and guidance they need to prevent injuries and illness before they occur. Instead of relying solely on inspections and investigations after a violation happens, compliance assistance programs encourage a proactive approach to safety, which is essential to any effective health and safety management system.
▶ 0:16:13Many of these programs have been in place for almost as long as OSHA itself. For example, this year marks the 50th anniversary of OSHA's onsite consultation program, which provides no cost confidential occupational safety and health services that are tailored for small and medium-sized businesses.
▶ 0:16:32In 1982, OSHA approved the first site for its voluntary protection programs, which recognized uh workplaces with safety and health practices go that go above and beyond legal requirements. In addition to OSHA's many federal programs, there is a vast network of programs and initiatives conducted by states with their own OSHA approved state plans. As we look ahead, it's clear that workplaces are changing rapidly.
▶ 0:17:02New industries, emerging technologies, and evolving hazards required 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. will combine.
▶ 0:17:27We must combine enforcement efforts with educational opportunities for employers and workers who want to meet their compliance obligations if we're going to protect workers. Importantly, certain federal programs such as the VPP are discretionary programs, meaning their effectiveness can change dramatically year-over-year, and employers engaged in these programs are under constant threat of losing their this critical resource.
▶ 0:17:54We will hear more about a solution that addresses this concern and codifies the program allowing it to uh perform more consistently today. We will also hear from individuals in their workplaces where these compliance assistance programs are used. The witnesses will offer their perspective on how these programs have made their workplaces safer and they will make recommendations about how these programs can be improved to ensure worker health and safety.
▶ 0:18:20I look forward to today's hearings and today's witnesses discussing strategies to make OSHA's compliance assistance programs more effective and responsive to the needs of the workforce. With that, I yield to the ranking member for her opening statement. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today. Over the last six months, the Trump administration has embarked on an aggressive assault on worker protections.
▶ 0:18:49And just in the past two weeks, Trump's Department of Labor has released five dozen deregulatory rulemakings, twothirds of which focus on health and safety issues. These proposals target target core worker protections, including changes to child labor rules, removing a requirement as basic and essential as having adequate lighting on construction sites, and even weakening workers protection against This spree
▶ 0:19:19of the regulation follows months of mass firing at the very agencies tasked with researching and investigating workplace conditions and a proposed budget that would reduce inspections and slash DO's capacity to develop new safety standards. The message is clear. Workers rights and protections are under attack.
▶ 0:19:44Compliance assistant programs such as the voluntary protection program have their place, but they are no substitute for a clear standard that are actively and effectively enforced. No job should ever be a death sentence. Workers deserve to come home to their families at the end of the day alive, healthy, and whole.
▶ 0:20:06Yet, according to the AFL CIO, workplace hazards killed 140,000 workers in 2023, including 5,283 workers from traumatic injuries and an 135,000 from occupational diseases.
▶ 0:20:29To protect workers from harm, Congress has passed landmark safety laws and established important agencies like OSHA, IMSA, NAOSH, and the Chemical Safety and Hazards Investigation Board. When they are all allowed to do their jobs and are fully funded, these agencies save lives and prevent harm to workers.
▶ 0:20:53But now the Trump administration is attempting to strip away safety regulations, dismantle critical agencies like NYOSH and CSP. In doing so, they are threatening the lives of workers who rely on those safeguards and the resources these agencies provide. In my own district, we're already feeling the consequences of these cuts.
▶ 0:21:16The University of Minnesota's Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety is one of just 18 NIOSH funded education and research centers in the nation. It trains the next generation of workplace safety experts who will help protect our workers in high-risk industries. Without NAOSH, the invaluable research and workforce development provided by that center and others like it across the country will be lost.
▶ 0:21:47That means fewer trained medical and safety professionals, less research capacity on critical issues such as heat stress, decreased investment in innovative technologies that can prevent illness and injury. The Trump administration's deregulatory agenda will result in more injuries, more deaths, more grieving families, and less accountability for employers who put their workers in harm's way.
▶ 0:22:14Committee Democrats are committed to honoring these workers who have been harmed or killed on the job, not just with words, but with action to change the system. Later today, ranking member Scott will reintroduce a bill that will finally bring workers the common sense protection they deserve against heat related injuries and illness.
▶ 0:22:35I am proud to co-sponsor the Heat Illness Injury and Fatality Protection Act, which requires OSHA to finally issue an enforcable rule with the strongest feasible protection against heat illness, including paid rest break, access to water, shaded or cooled recovery areas, and training that is delivered in the language and format that the workers
▶ 0:23:05understand these are sensible safeguards that will save lives. Ranking member Scott, Representative Courtney, and I also reintroduced the Protecting Americans Workers Act, which would make long overdue improvements to the enforcement of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This bill would expand coverage to millions of workers currently excluded from the law's protections and strengthen whistleblower protections.
▶ 0:23:35These reforms are critical to preventing the most serious violations that endangers worker safety. Democrats are offering real solutions to the problems workers face on the job instead of ripping away protections. I hope that our discussion today can center around ensuring that workers come home safely at the end of the day. Finally, Mr.
▶ 0:23:56Chairman, I request unanimous consent to enter into the record a statement from the United Steel Steel Workers about the compliance assistance program we will be discussing Without objection. Thank you, and I yield back. Pursuant to committee rule 8C, all members who wish to insert written statements into the record may do so by submitting them to the committee clerk electronically in Microsoft Word format by 5:00 p.m. 14 days after this hearing.
▶ 0:24:24And without objection, the hearing record will remain open for 14 days to allow such statements and other extraneous material noted during the hearing to be submitted for the official hearing record. Now to the introduction of our witnesses for today. Uh our first witness is Mr. Chris Williams, the executive director for the Voluntary Protection Programs Participant Association in Falls Church, Virginia. Our second witness is Mr.
▶ 0:24:50Myron Harper, the national health and safety director for Cintas Corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana. Our third witness is uh Miss Rebecca Rindall, uh the safety and health director at the AFL CIO in Washington DC. And our final witness is Mr. Kevin Cell, uh, senior director for corporate development at Quest Group in Alexandria, Kentucky. Mr. Cell is testifying on behalf of the Associated Builders and Contractors.
▶ 0:25:19We want to thank all of our witnesses for being here today, and we look forward to hearing each of your testimony. Pursuant to committee rules, I will ask that each of you limit your oral testimony to three minute summary of the written testimony that you've provided. As committee members have many questions to ask for you, the clock will count down from three minutes. Pursuant to committee rule 8D, the committee practice, however, is that we will not cut off your testimony until you reach the 5m minute mark.
▶ 0:25:46I would also like to remind the witnesses to be aware of their responsibility to provide accurate information to the subcommittee. And with that, I will recognize our first witness today, Mr. Williams. You're recognized for your testimony. Chairman McKenzie, Chairman Wahberg, Ranking Member Omar, and members of the subcommittee committee. I thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of OSHA's compliance assistance programs. My name is Chris Williams, and I serve as the executive director of the Voluntary Protection Program Participants Association.
▶ 0:26:12For 40 years, VPPA has represented sites and companies involved in VPP. Our more than,400 members represent every industry and collectively represent nearly 300,000 workers, union and non-UN. More than half of VPPA's members are current VPP sites who along with the nearly 1900 sites across the country share in our mission to raise the standard for workplace health and safety excellence. VPP is a program founded on collaboration.
▶ 0:26:37In 1979, the California Building Trades Council, National Constructors Association, and Koshia came together to develop the Cooperative Self- Inspection Program. It was aimed at preventing injuries and illnesses during construction of the Saninopra nuclear power plant. Led by labor and with full management buyin and oversight by Cal OSHA, this resulted in levels of cooperation previously unseen and laid the foundation for the program that we see today. OSHA's VPP has maintained this bedrock commitment to employee involvement, management commitment, and regulatory oversight, working together to foster a culture of continuous improvement.
▶ 0:27:07The proofs in the numbers. According to OSHA data, BPP sites maintain an average injury and illness rate 53% below BLS industry averages. To put that in perspective, the average American workplace sees nearly three injured workers per 100 full-time employees. For VPP sites, that number is closer to one. And that's still one too many because VPP fosters a culture where safety is the core value upon which every decision is made. It's why VPP works and saves. VPP's impact goes beyond participants.
▶ 0:27:35It's felt across the more than 10 million workplaces in the United States through countless process innovations and best practices. It's felt by OSHA through the special government employee program with DPP companies committing their own personnel and resources to work alongside OSHA developing new ideas that are routinely adopted and improved. Simply put, BPP is a shining example of what labor, management, and government can do when working together towards a shared vision of what can be.
▶ 0:27:59Yet, BPP remains discretionary program, meaning that it can be eliminated at any time for any reason by any party. And make no mistake, it's been under threat before. That's why we're pleased to see the introduction of HR2844, the Michael NZ Voluntary Protection Program Act. This bill's aim is simple. To make VPP a permanent program within OSHA, to require that a percentage of OSHA's budget be set aside to fund VPP, and to create a pathway for every American workplace to reach VP level performance.
▶ 0:28:27VPP enjoys broad support, Democrats and Republicans, management and labor. In fact, VPP was built by labor. Nearly 500 locals are signitories to VP agreements. Among them more than 380 AFL CIO affiliated unions. BPP is the gold standard of safety and health management systems and the only one available free to every workplace willing to commit to and abide by its stringent ongoing requirements. Participants know that protecting workers isn't proprietary. It isn't a union or non-UN issue.
▶ 0:28:56It's about sending our loved ones home in the same or better condition than which they arrived every day. I thank you for your time and I look forward to your Thank you, Mr. Williams. Uh, next we have Mr. Harper, and I recognize you for your testimony. Good morning, Chairman McKenzie and Ranking Member Omar, and members of the subcommittee. Thank you for holding this hearing and for the uh opportunity to testify on the importance of the voluntary protection program.
▶ 0:29:27My name is Myron Harper. I am a director of health and safety for Centas Corporation. Centas is dedicated to helping more than 1 million businesses of all types and sizes across the United States get ready to open their doors with confidence by pro providing a wide range of products. Centas employs approximately 47,000 employee partners in our workforce today and our overarching goal is to ensure everyone returns home safely at the end of the day.
▶ 0:29:58We accomplished this through our CentOS health and safety management system which is mo modeled by uh our after our OSHA voluntary protection program. Since the certification of our first site in 139 additional Centas facilities nationwide have achieved VPP star Achieving VPP star certification is a rigorous process.
▶ 0:30:22Our locations must show that all employee partners work together to prevent workplace injuries and incidents. I also serve as a special government employee through OSHA's voluntary protection program. As a special government employee, I have the opportunity to engage with peers through multiple educational opportunities, mentoring, and by participating in on-site evaluations.
▶ 0:30:49Even though OSHA works together with sites to find solutions to give feedback, we are held to an even higher standard and are still subject to audits and evaluations postcertification. And this remains critical to the success of this program today. I would like to thank Congresswoman Diana Harshburgger and Mike and Congresswoman Mike Thompson, the bipartisan co-sponsors of the Michael NZ Voluntary Protection Program Act.
▶ 0:31:19Passage of this legislation would ensure the long-term success of this great program in keeping all employees engaged, healthy, and safe. Thank you again to the subcommittee for the opportunity to testify. I look forward to your questions. Thank you. And next, I'll recognize Miss Rindell for your testimony. Good morning, uh, Chairman McKenzie, Ranking Member Omar, and members of the subcommittee.
▶ 0:31:46I appreciate the opportunity to testify today on behalf of the AFL CIO about protecting worker health and safety. I want to start by saying that the magnitude of work-related fatalities, injuries, and illnesses is enormous for American workers and it's totally unacceptable in this country.
▶ 0:32:05Each year in the U US more than 5,000 workers die on the job from traumatic injury and an estimated 135,000 die each year from work rellated The families of these workers suffer the and these are devastating and they're preventable. So what we are talking about today are not just numbers and goals and achievements. They are people's lives.
▶ 0:32:29Yet the job safety enforcement agency for most workplaces, OSHA, has been starved by budget cuts and hampered by staffing reductions and low penalty structures that keep it from carrying out its core responsibilities entrusted to it by Congress. Even before the Trump administration's recent efforts that will reduce these resources even more, between 1991 and 2024, OSHA's budget decreased 8%.
▶ 0:32:56In the last 35 years, we have seen a 19% reduction in all of OSHA's staff, including at headquarters. And that and with a whopping 35% decrease uh in enforcement staff alone. Meanwhile, employment has grown 43% and workplaces have grown 82%. Overall, this is a 38% reduction in the amount the agency has to protect each worker it is responsible for. Now, only for each worker.
▶ 0:33:26We do a calculation each year in our report on the number of years it would take OSHA to inspect each workplace in its jurisdiction once based on its resources. Since 1991, that number has gone from once every 84 years to once every 185 years. And under the president's budget proposal for fiscal 26, that number would be the worst on record, once every 266 years, because they've proposed to reduce the number of OSHA inspections by nearly 30%.
▶ 0:33:57Meanwhile, 8 million public sector workers have no OSHA coverage, a number that has increased 10% in the last 35 years. All of this means that the budget appropriated by Congress is not enough for the agency to carry out even its core responsibilities of setting standards and enforcing them. A quick reminder, the two duties in the OSH Act are for employers that must one maintain a workplace free from recognized hazards and two comply with the standards promulgated by the agency.
▶ 0:34:25Recent firings of the health and safety agency staff like NYOSH and new policies by the Trump administration will only make things worse for America's workers. And right before the 4th of July, the administration just proposed to resend and weaken dozens of worker health and safety rules, including removing training and medical evaluation requirements for PPE to function properly, removing employer requirements on reporting illnesses, and removing OSHA's general duty to keep workers safe.
▶ 0:34:54Meanwhile, OSHA hasn't been able to issue many standards in recent years, and when they do, it can take up to 20 years to get one out the door. Compliance assistance has always been part of the OSHA model, but compliance assistance is just that, assistance to aid employers with understanding and complying with the law. And OSHA has many compliance assistance programs.
▶ 0:35:17Examples are resources for businesses to better understand the standards they need to follow, guidance on specific hazards and ways to correct them, and recommendations on systemic issues to keep those hazards corrected. But lower penalties, just like inspection exemptions, incentives to underreport injuries, and a lack of meaningful worker and union participation, all undermine the credibility of any voluntary program. and resources are not distributed evenly.
▶ 0:35:46For years, OSHA has consistently spent more than 10 times the amount of money on employer compliance assistance than it has on worker safety and health training. And now, the president has proposed to zero out worker health and safety training altogether in OSHA's budget. OSHA's few resources are not a reason to spend more money on voluntary approaches. Compliance assistance is an important part of the OSHA model, but only as an aid to support the mandate the agency was given by Congress, not a replacement for it.
▶ 0:36:16Thank you for inviting me to testify, and I would be happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Lastly, I'll recognize Mr. Cell for your testimony. Thank you, Chairman McKenzie, Ranking Member Omar, and members of the subcommittee. Thank you for the invitation to testify this morning and for the opportunity to discuss voluntary protection programs and the future of occupational safety and health administration's compliance assistance. Again, my name is Kevin S. I currently serve as a senior manager corporate development at Quest Group.
▶ 0:36:42We are a 100% employeeowned company founded in Quest Group has grown from its roots in Port Clinton, Ohio to become a trusted partner across the United States. Today, Quest Group is licensed in nearly 40 states with seven regional offices and two craft education facilities. Today, I'm testifying on behalf of Associated Builders and Contractors, a national trade association with 67 chapters representing more than 23,000 member companies and millions of craft professionals.
▶ 0:37:11I began my career as a firefighter layer shift commander and that helped me launch a career in construction. Before Quest Group, I contributed to the significant growth of Century Construction and United Group Services through safety quality programs and workforce development solutions from 1990 to 2004. I've also held leadership roles on both the Kentucky Workers Compensation Funding Commission and I chaired the Kentucky Occupational Safety Health and Review Commission. Aside from my education, I hold several certifications in the health and safety field.
▶ 0:37:42The area offices of OSHA provide employees employers with valuable expertise and support through the compliance assistant specialist and their challenge program that is a path to VPP. By having a partnership with the area office, you gain non- enforcement support so you can work with OSHA to get better and reduce risk to your entire team.
▶ 0:38:02This is especially important for construction as many of us have mobile workforce uh that moves around a lot and this presents its own set of challenges that are far different and more complex than most general industry sites. In 1999, we met with then region 5 administrator Mike Connors who challenged us to take the ABC step which is safety training evaluation process and challenge program to a construction version of the voluntary protection program or VPP.
▶ 0:38:31We started that demonstration program in 2001. VPP in every industry allows employers, employees, and labor to apply for an audit that leads to the VPP designation. Many of us call the VPP OSHA's seal of approval. The VPP makes the work environment better, safer, and even supports business growth and job security.
▶ 0:38:54It's also important to note that positions like the compliance assistant specialist in VPP allow OSHA to focus on the bad employers and use their VPP partners as subject matter experts and resources. OSHA standards are minimum standards and it is far better for employees to be protected by a VPP employer. It is also important to mention a bit more about ABC step program. This process gives you a position of where your health and safety program is at and how to get better based on levels like gold, platinum, diamond.
▶ 0:39:25When I mentor construction companies applying for VPP, I always ask them for their step level or have them start this process. STEPP was a key factor in creating VPP in construction and I still find it of high value to that application process. STEPPP has also evolved to add something of great importance to all of us in every industry and that is mental health and suicide prevention. Together with all other aspects, we now focus on total human health.
▶ 0:39:51I look forward to discussing this important issue with the subcommittee today and hopefully provide insight into the successful programs. Thank you very much. Thank you. Under committee rule 9, we will now ask questions of the witnesses under the five-minute rule. And I'll be recognizing myself for the first series of questions. Mr. Williams. Uh, your written testimony noted that the mission of the voluntary protection program is to send workers home from work in safe or better condition when they arrived.
▶ 0:40:19How do OSHA's compliance assistance programs like VPP complement the enforcement side of OSHA's work in achieving this goal? Thank you for your question. Quite simply, VPP is an efficiency tool for OSHA in that it supplements personnel from VPP sites in the form of special government employees who go out and conduct audits, can review applications in some regions and the like. So, it does free up those resources potentially for enforcement efforts. It also allows VPP itself, the performance of those companies and sites in the program.
▶ 0:40:48It allows OSHA to focus on, as the witness stated, those truly bad actors who who for reasons incomprehensible to the moral mind refuse to comply with OSHA requirements. We know that VPP sites from performance standpoint are well above and beyond compliance and they're well above beyond their performance of their peers. So VPP sites also commit to that pay it forward model where their resources, their best practices are openly shared amongst industry, amongst their peers, not as proprietary, but in order to help send those workers home safe every day.
▶ 0:41:19Well, I appreciate that response and uh it actually sets up my next question perfectly. Uh Mr. Harper, you highlight in your written testimony the opportunities given to you as a special government employee or an SGE. As an SGE, you're able to offer your knowledge and experience to smaller businesses just starting out and businesses in need of strengthening their current safety practices. How has your work as an SGE benefited smaller businesses?
▶ 0:41:48So with uh small small businesses uh we've been able to partner uh with them through uh SGE initiatives through voluntary protection program by uh going out visiting those sites uh directly uh partnering with them sharing those best practices with them uh as well as uh inviting them to our sites uh to partner with them.
▶ 0:42:09It's a great benefit to those smaller sites as well as to our site to partner with other businesses uh that uh that may have the same uh issues that we have faced before and we're able to um help identify those solutions uh directly. So building businesses community involvement together uh to send every employee home safe and sound. So we we appreciate the work you do uh helping small businesses there. I think that's fantastic. How does that benefit your organization Cintas?
▶ 0:42:40So with with Centas uh especially with the customers that we have uh we've been able to partner with those small businesses to help them uh with their initiatives and help us uh as far as a company to uh build that relationship with that site. Um so if they if they continue to build and grow uh that that helps us uh long run on our our side as well.
▶ 0:43:03uh but helps us with our knowledge uh sharing best practices from those sites um and things that uh we're able to benefit from the with thece evaluations and tools that we get from those sites. Fantastic. My final question is for Mr. Cell. By having the voluntary protection program in place, OSHA gains industry ambassadors who enthusiastically offer their expertise to industry safety efforts.
▶ 0:43:26As we just heard, OSHA may also exempt VPP sites from programmed inspections, which allows the agency to allocate resources towards expanding outreach or when needed enforcement. Having participated in the VPP, uh can you highlight the benefits an employer and its employees receive from the Certainly, and thank you for the question, Mr. Chairman. Um, so the as the the employer or the group, the company, the benefits received is that you're starting that it's it's not just a partnership.
▶ 0:43:57I I would argue that it's a relationship and that you're in regular communication with your respective area office and getting to know those people and what they do. Um, also uh gives you more access to standards that are coming out, more input. the employees understand that they're working uh for a company and with a company where they're engaged in the voluntary protection process and where they look at OSHA as a partner and they don't look at them as the occupational police which not saying that that's not needed.
▶ 0:44:27I'm just saying in the VPP setting that it's a cooperation, it's engagement, it's collaboration with the agency which is I think we all would would welcome more collaboration with federal agencies that actually benefit employees. Appreciate that answer. Thank you. And uh with that, I'll conclude my questioning. And next, I'll recognize the ranking member for 5 minutes of Uh Miss uh Randle, thank you so much for joining us today.
▶ 0:44:56Um just this week, OSHA announced a major policy change related to the monetary penalties for workplace safety violations. Uh, under current law, what is the maximum penalty OSHA can seek for a serious violation? Excuse me. The maximum penalty is Um, so it's uh it's roughly $16,000. Uh, what if a worker is killed?
▶ 0:45:25If a worker is killed, it depends on the type of violation. It could also be a maximum of $16,000 if it's a serious Uh and just to be clear, these are the these are only the maximum penalties, These are maximum penalties. Uh they're often um much much lower. In our annual report, we do look at this and for federal OSHA, the average serious penalty that OSHA issues is $4,000 for a serious violation of the OSHA Act.
▶ 0:45:54Now, can you briefly tell us what OSHA announced this week? Um what are the consequences of this decision and will workers lives be at risk? Sure. Uh OSHA announced on uh on Monday a new policy change um related to its penalty structure and related to uh reducing penalties uh for businesses when they are cited by OSHA.
▶ 0:46:18Um OSHA has always long term uh has had four categories for uh good faith uh penalty uh reduction history uh lack of a history of violations penalty reduction, quick fix penalty reduction, and size-based penalty reductions. And what this policy did here was it changed the criteria and it's letting more employers into the pen penalty reduction space. Um and that includes large employers, not just small businesses.
▶ 0:46:48Uh it also increases the penalty uh reductions to 70%. So you get fined by OSHA, you can have up to a 70% penalty reduction now or 80% for willful violations. And if you haven't had an inspection in 5 years, you actually can have a reduction uh in penalties. Um and what it what it used to be was that you had to have an inspection in the last five years without many serious violations in order to achieve that. Wow.
▶ 0:47:16Uh what message does it send when this administration is willing to make it cheaper to break the law? Sure. Um this new policy just creates incentives for employers to take the low road and to not follow the law. Um if you know that you know I we already know that OSHA doesn't show up to uh workplaces because of its resources that it can't make it to so many workplaces every year.
▶ 0:47:39uh and f further now we know that if they will show up to employers can expect um you know penalties that are much too low to be a deterrent for violating our nation's safety and health Uh in May, Secretary uh Chavez Ramire told uh this committee that she would double down in addressing um child uh labor. Uh and yet her labor department recently sent a draft rule to OM uh on um child labor which has not been made public.
▶ 0:48:09That might actually weaken child labor protections. With child labor violations rising across the country, we need to make our child labor laws stronger, not weaker. And I hope uh everyone here can agree with that because potential roll back is very troubling. Um, M.
▶ 0:48:27Randle, if this new uh do rule increases hours that ch children can work or um exposes them to more dangerous um jobs, what exactly is the Trump administration doubling down on? Sure. Uh yes, we haven't seen this rule in full yet. Uh but it is um by title about hazardous occupations for children to work in.
▶ 0:48:52So, uh, we actually have seen, uh, these things before in the first Trump administration where they have attempted to, um, lower the age that children can work in dangerous occupations and having them work at different hours for longer time periods. Uh, and right now, uh, for decades, our our nation has, um, you know, prevented prevented children from working in certain hazardous occupations.
▶ 0:49:18We've had many violations of this over the years and child labor violations are a very clear indicator of other health and safety violations that are going on in Thank you. And with that, I yield back. Thank you. Next, we'll go to chairman of the full committee, Mr. Wahlberg from Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks for holding this uh hearing and thanks to the panel for being here. Mr.
▶ 0:49:42Williams, you indicated that in your in your written testimony that an estimated work sites participate in the voluntary protection program. Um, what percentage of those sites are union sites? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
▶ 0:50:00While there's no accurate data put out by OSHA in terms of work site affiliation, labor non- labor or union non-UN in looking through the list of unions that have are signatories of EPB agreements and looking through the sites, a conservative estimate would be 15%. I I would put that above 20% of VP sites that are union work sites. I say that because the data is incomplete to some extent. For example, in California, 61% of VPP sites are union affiliated. Okay.
▶ 0:50:30what what um additional requirements are there for work sites who are represented by a union and want to join VPP and if you could also respond what kind of feedback have you received from the unions about these Certainly any site that employs union labor must have every trade that's represented on that site sign off on any VPP agreement. If even one declines, then there's no that we don't proceed. The BPP process stops.
▶ 0:50:56Labor maintains a a critical role and critical oversight role in terms of if at any point labor looks at that VPP agreement, looks at that site and says you're not upholding your end of the bargain management, we can withdraw our signature and the site is out of VPP. In terms of feedback from local labor affiliates, it's been overwhelmingly positive just simply based on the number of local signitories that I cited in my opening statement. But but I want to give you a statement in their own words. This is from Jack Griffith who works at the Central Plateau Cleanup Company out in Richmond, Washington.
▶ 0:51:26He's a member of the Hanford Atomic Metal Trades Council and local 1951 at the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Uh he's a full-time union safety representative, VP coordinator. He's been involved in VPP for almost 30 years now. And in his words, and I quote, "VPP is not a flavor of the month program. It requires a management commitment with employee involvement. Unionized sites must endorse their commitment or the application will not be accepted by OSHA. Attaining VPP star recognition is not easy for companies. They must have implemented an effective safety and health management system.
▶ 0:51:56Fostering a culture of safety and continuous improvement can take time. I've seen where the safety culture needed to change to meet the rigorous requirements of going above and beyond the basic OSHA requirements to demonstrate exemplary safety and health management systems. In a VPP site, every employee has the right to stop work without fear of retaliation when identifying anything that was not It's not surprising that he would state that. That's just common sense of what the program is is a high standard program that you have to voluntarily commit to and keep the job.
▶ 0:52:26Thank you, Mr. Harper. There's a misguided belief that by participating in VPP, u employers skirt their compliance obligations. However, your written testimony states that VPP work sites are held to an even higher standard than uh through the program audit and evaluation process. Could you briefly explain why that is? And do you believe this high standard has had a direct impact on employee recruitment, retention and growth there at Cintas?
▶ 0:52:58Thank you for your question. Um, when it comes to the uh high level of uh importance for safety at CentOS and uh within our uh within our facilities, um partnering with our uh with our employees have definitely helped uh to further the importance of uh safety.
▶ 0:53:19Um when it comes to audits that happens with OSHA, we have to make sure that we hold to a high standard uh with OSHA on on a on a annual basis. We got to submit our records of uh where we are for continuous improvement. Uh and then every so often they have to come back and re-evaluate our site to make sure that we're hold held to that standard.
▶ 0:53:43In addition to that, when submitting our applications, we have to be uh lower than the industry average um lower or at the ind industry average based on the BLS uh rates and so our in incident rates has to be below. So they also looking at our comm our involvement from our employees and leaders as well as our numbers.
▶ 0:54:04Uh it has definitely helped us with the accountability side uh far as having OSHA there to help partner with with us and continue our continue our efforts sending partners home every day safe uh to their families and so uh helps with our programs initially. Thank you. Not much time left but uh Mr. Cell, yes or no. Has the participation in VPP and other compliance assistant program shifted culture of your workplace to prioritize safety?
▶ 0:54:34Yes, it has. That's all I wanted to hear. Thank you. Go back. Fantastic. Uh, next we're going to go to Mr. Tano from California. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for uh to the witnesses for being here. M. Randell, the National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health or NAOSH is the only federal agency that conducts research on worker safety and hazardous health materials.
▶ 0:55:01As you describe in your testimony, NYOSH researchers which chemicals uh researches which chemicals could shorten a worker's lifespan, how future accidents can be prevented, and the application of lifesaving interventions that protect workers and employers, among other things. Is it true that the staff of NYOSH was gutted this week, depriving the agency of enough staff to function?
▶ 0:55:31Thank you for the question. Um, in the spring, uh, the Trump administration fired twothirds of of of the staff of NYOSH. And even though some of them have been, um, returned, uh, more than a third of the agency is is still out. And those are people who do critical work uh, around re critical work. These are these are PE trained researchers, people with advanced degrees. That's right. They're uniquely skilled.
▶ 0:55:56uh this is not uh this is a a small field with very uh high level of expertise uh and and a very unique level of expertise to do occupational safety and health. Can you give me a number an estimate of number of staff that will be affected?
▶ 0:56:10Um sure we still have u more than 400 um 400 staff who are who are out of NYOSH and these are people who do uh critical mining safety and health research uh critical research on warehouses um and and and many other uh you know studies and industry partnerships. So what might be the immediate consequences of these staff cuts? Do you have some ideas in mind? Sure.
▶ 0:56:33Um, you know, for instance, in the in the mining sector, uh, at NYOSH, they they do long-term studies, but they also do, you know, they test explosive environments. They have very, uh, you know, critical state-of-the-art, um, facilities where you can test, um, explosive environments, for instance, under mines, um, prevent roof collapses. Um, and you also have, uh, partnerships with the fishing industry, uh, with the construction industry.
▶ 0:57:01uh these are a lot of the industries that are still um the research is is highly impactful and it's also research that's applied and it's immediate. So it's understanding why employers or employees aren't adopting safety practices and helping Great. Thank you. My district contains one of the largest logistics hubs in the world in the Inland Empire. More than 200,000 people are employed by the warehousing industry.
▶ 0:57:26Warehousing work has among the highest rates of injur uh serious injury of any industry in the country. Workers suffer lifelong injuries from overexertion and repetitive stress which can permanently destroy an employes's back, wrists, and other joints. heavy objects and equipment that mean a collision or a fall could be deadly and has resulted in hundreds of worker fatalities per year.
▶ 0:57:56As online shopping booms, so does safe so does the safety risk associated with that uh that industry. A 2024 Senate report indicated that one Amazon Prime Day, just one Prime Day at Amazon, led to a rise a rate a rate of 45 injuries per 100 workers. That's nearly a a 50% injury rate.
▶ 0:58:20M Reindell, researchers at NAOSH's Western States Division were conducting research into making warehouse work safer. Their staff was just eliminated. How will cuts at NYOSH affect my Absolutely.
▶ 0:58:37Uh the the Western States division is a a smaller office out in the western states that have are incredibly efficient and they affect warehouses because they do important work on ergonomics which you were just talking about and preventing muscularkeeletal disorders from repetitive stress injuries and also on fatigue. I mean warehouses have extreme issues with workers working long hours. um fatigue issues, transportation issues related to the logistics industry.
▶ 0:59:06So um we can expect without NAOSH that uh injuries and illnesses will go up, fatalities will go up and um this is going to harm generations to come. So I just we just passed this big ugly bill $ 160 billion dollar to do immigration enforcement. A budget that's bigger than like several defense budgets put together. So, there's a trade-off here.
▶ 0:59:31We're going to eliminate an office, a small office that could make warehouse work safer for my constituents. So, I'm seeing a trade-off here, Miss Randall, and and I'm I'm very very alarmed by it. I yield back. Thank you. Next, we'll go to Mr. Mesmer from Indiana. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the witnesses for being here today, especially my fellow Hooser, Mr. Harper. Uh, Mr.
▶ 0:59:58Harper compliance assistance programs are a proactive approach that results in reduced cost for both OSHA and the participating employers. Uh can you explain to our subcommittee how how these programs reduce costs for both OSHA and the employer? Thank you for your question.
▶ 1:00:14So with with uh with the assistance programs um especially with the SGES, we're able to uh have multiple people go to a site or partner with other sites versus having one uh personnel uh from OSHA uh in one area, one um region uh supporting thousands of sites.
▶ 1:00:35And so by helping other businesses partner with other businesses through VPP has absolutely helped uh partner with with other other sites build that relationship especially with the government special government employee program. Thank you. Um you also ran a you ran a successful VPP program uh and and those work sites work sites require buyin from all parties involved. what role does employee involvement play in this in a successful uh VPP work site?
▶ 1:01:06Thanks again for your question. So with the employee involvement um one cannot get a VPP site you you you can't go through certification without having that involvement without having that engagement from your employees and so this is not built on our safety system is not built on one person uh but it's all the employees at that site and multiple sites uh so that's buyin from everyone at that site to get everyone home safe and sound.
▶ 1:01:33Uh so that's very important to uh to the success of this program in in VPP. Thank you. Um OSHA has found significantly lower injury and illness rates among VPP participants. Mr. Williams, would you say that the that employee buyin creates a culture of safety within your organization by being a VPP participant? Absolutely, sir. It it is a culture that where as I mentioned before, safety is the core value upon which every decision is made.
▶ 1:02:02and where employees, frontline workers are empowered to stop work to own that program. Thank you. And also, Mr. Williams, critics of VPP will claim that by passing HR2844, we will take away from OSHA's ability to enforce safety standards, keep workers safe, even though legislation dedicates this legislation dedicates 5% of OSHA's annual funds to continuation of the program. Would you what would you say in response to that claim?
▶ 1:02:29I would look at this from the standpoint of BPB funding alone. We know that that number is significantly lower. It's less than 1% of OSHA's overall budget at present. That 5% number represents growth in the program that we know has been successful. And I would relate that as well from the standpoint of we we look towards what VPP accomplishes in in the scheme of we talk about enforcement. Enforcement will always have have a need within OSHA and will always be part of its core mission.
▶ 1:02:57But enforcement results on an inspection that may be on a site one, two, three days. The other 360 days of the year are what compliance assistance programs like VPP tackle. It's creating that environment, the conditions and the culture at a work site so that employees are that empowered to work safe. They're empowered to own the program.
▶ 1:03:14management commits to that and the regulatory oversight as the other witnesses have talked about from their their personal perspectives is the fact that that annual self-evaluation of that audit and a a VPP site's going to see OSHA on their site every 3 to 5 years they openly welcome them okay thank you yield back the rest of my thank you next we'll go to Miss Stevens from Michigan um thank you Mr. chairman and thank you to our ranking member as well and of course our witnesses.
▶ 1:03:41We all know that OSHA plays an incredibly vital role in making sure Americans across the country are safe at work uh and as a daughter of a small business owner who was a landscaper and employed a lot of people.
▶ 1:03:56uh we know a thing or two about workplace safety in my family and as someone who has visited over um 200 manufacturers in my time in Congress through my manufacturing Monday program, I see those safety standards in play, but um I I want to focus uh my my questions certainly on on Michigan, but I also just don't want to leave out the assault on our federal workforce and decades of underfunding
▶ 1:04:27at OSHA uh that that has been mentioned that leave workers more exposed than ever. And so that combined with catastrophic Medicaid cuts in the reconciliation bill that came down makes it very difficult for workers at this time um and particularly for for folks who I I hear from a lot in in Michigan.
▶ 1:04:48An AFL CI CIO report found that OSHA has uh just um $3.92 per worker it I that it is responsible for protecting and that's down from in 1991 and the number of OSHA inspectors per million workers has fallen from 9.7 to 6.1. So, Miss Rendell, you served at OSHA, you've mentioned that.
▶ 1:05:18How does this consistent and worsening underscore resourcing uh or or the underresourcing of the agency that leaves workers exposed to increased safety risks on the job? Sure. Um, you know, the I think in short just to say that you have the fox guarding the hen house, right?
▶ 1:05:40you have um uh fewer inspections, fewer presence uh in the work less in presence in the workplace by OSHA by an independent by an external third party. Um you also don't have an avenue for workers to reach out to an external party.
▶ 1:05:57We know there's a lot of fear right now in the US generally speaking and um without uh the ability for OSHA to show up and to talk to workers, this has a a severe dampening effect on how we actually can measure what's going on.
▶ 1:06:12I also want to say that um enforcement has been effectively evaluated by many studies to look at OSHA enforcement and OSHA standards uh and how those have saved lives and been effective and actually greater than the standards even predict. So we have effectiveness um of OSHA enforcement that's been shown through many many studies. I think um a lot of my colleagues are talking about VPP.
▶ 1:06:38this program still hasn't been critically evaluated and where it has there have been big problems with those evaluations to show that they're actually effective. So what we really want to do is um you know make sure employers are following the law. Yeah. And how about attraction? So when we think about growing our manufacturing sector, we also need to think about the talent that we're we're bringing in.
▶ 1:06:59And I'm uh c curious uh if we're when we're ripping away regulatory frameworks and the things that protect people on the job if uh it is going to make it easier or harder to attract the talent. Sure. I know there's definitely an emphasis on domestic manufacturing. Um but how do you do that if if workplaces uh aren't safe?
▶ 1:07:24Uh I think that um you know we've we've also heard today about OSHA being a critically a part of the VPP program. I will say there are a lot of on-site consultation programs and industry partnerships and resources and compliance assistance are all very important. Um but OSHA and VPP actually doesn't do audits um for until once every third three to five years. So that's a long time. And one other quick one as well.
▶ 1:07:51Uh when you talk about the valuable role that NYOSH plays in keeping workers safe and what American workers will miss out on um how does this upheaval affect that? NYOSH is um really our major our only source in the government for critical research on health and safety issues.
▶ 1:08:12It also already has a lot of industry partnerships, a lot of academic partnerships, real implementation on the ground of preventing workplace injuries and illnesses in um practically in real time and also conducting surveillance so that we actually know what's going on in workplaces uh throughout the states. Well, thank you so much and I yield back my time. Thank you. Next, we're going to go to Mr. Fine from Florida. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to all of you for being here to talk about this important topic.
▶ 1:08:41Obviously, we want to make sure that all of our workers are safe and don't get injured or even worse, get killed. I I have a couple questions. I'm going to start with Mr. Cell. Um the argument in favor of compliance assistance programs is that it reduces costs by seeking to prevent injuries and accidents as opposed to dealing with them afterwards. But there may also be additional cost savings as well. And that's where I'm how can we do things cheaper?
▶ 1:09:04Um how do OSHA's compliance assistance programs reduce the compliance burden for That is a great question. Thank you for that. So, the compliance assistant specialist acting in a non- enforcement uh capacity can actually work with every employer. It really benefits small employers that don't have those types of resources, but but every employer is entitled to that service.
▶ 1:09:26So, whether it's program development, risk assessment, or just trying to figure out what's the best way to protect your employees from a particular risk, that's where they come into play. that's where they had the expertise where they save uh money quite frankly to a business is is the the output of that. So if they're helping the employer on the front end then there's no risk or there's reduced risk on the back end.
▶ 1:09:51You also see that come through at least in my opinion you have a greater reduction to capa to capacity of your workers's comp insurance which is based on hours worked your general liability goes down so the the company becomes better financially because that compliance assistance specialist in fact is saving them money they also if if they're working in that partnership and this is an indirect output employers want employees to work for them and employees especially America's workers want to
▶ 1:10:21work for employers of choice. They want to go somewhere where they're protected and treated well. And a compliance assistance specialist helps that because they see them there and they know the employer cares. Okay. Well, thank you for that. My next question is for Mr. Williams. Mr. Williams, your written testimony expresses support for HR2844, the Michael Enzy Voluntary Protection Program Act. This bill would require OSHA to dedicate 5% of its annual budget to funding the VPP.
▶ 1:10:49a version of this bill has been introduced in previous Congresses long before I got here. But so that's why I want to know, you know, what were past concerns with this legislation and and how does HR2844 address those concerns? Thank you for the question. I'll touch on a couple uh potential issues that may have been stumbling blocks in previous sessions. The first and foremost is that some of the language from funding standpoint in previous versions of legislation would have been considered open-ended.
▶ 1:11:14I think there is some concern from both parties that it was a blank check and cartel lodge for the secretary of labor whoever that may be at any given time to fund as much or as little for VPP and compliance assistance. I believe that 5% writer addresses that whether OSHA's budget is 500 million or 50 million it would still be 5% of that amount. Uh the second would be I think in looking from the standpoint of we talked of that budget number.
▶ 1:11:41I think there's also been a misconception that the program is is pro one party or the other or pro- labor or pro non- labor non-union. I think this this legislation in the past has suffered from that misconception that one side or the other supports it. 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. and it aims to make a program that has been so successful reducing workplace injury and illnesses and engaging employees in workplace safety and health.
▶ 1:12:10It simply makes it permanent. I think that's there there's been a little bit of misconception from the standpoint of one side or the other is going to get a victory here. No, this is a victory for all of American workers. Thank you. Thank you for your Thank you for all for being here and uh that answers my questions. I yield back, Mr. Thank you. Next, we'll go to the ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Scott from V Virginia. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, M.
▶ 1:12:35Randelle, the Department of Labor released um dozens of new rule notices which reverse worker protections. Can you um describe and comment on some of those initiatives? Sure. Thank you for the question. I'm happy to um just uh write I mentioned in my testimony just before the 4th of July, dozens of these rules uh actions I should say were were issued.
▶ 1:13:01Um many are proposals uh and there are uh all you know most of them are attempts to weaken existing safety and health protections and also to roll back some altogether.
▶ 1:13:14So very basic um basic but very important uh items like adequate lighting in workplaces or using you know safety colors to detect you know caution uh um you know very uh important things and uh there are uh there's a proposal to remove OSHA's general duty protections um to certain occupations because they are quote inherently risky.
▶ 1:13:40Uh and we see this as problematic and really a problem for many workers across the US. Not just um the occupations that they named in the proposal, but setting a precedent for doing that going forward and thinking that you know employees somehow should assume the risk in their workplaces. That is where employers should be controlling hazards.
▶ 1:13:59One other area is uh going after the uh respiratory protection requirements and uh we know that in order for respirators and other PPE to to work properly in workplaces and protect workers, it must uh fit and we must u medically evaluate people in order to ensure that they're safe when they're wearing those um those Are independent contractors covered by Independent contractors are not covered.
▶ 1:14:27Uh you responded to a question about the relatively low penalties uh to businesses. Um usually accountability can be achieved by lawsuits but if um employees covered by work by OSHA covered by workers comp. Is it true they can't sue for negligence? Uh yes. Under under OSHA law there's no private right of action. Workers do not have other recourse.
▶ 1:14:58when the voluntary plan in the voluntary plans what should we look for to ensure that the plans are actually working as right so um these voluntary the plan so I will just say the compliance assistance has many types of programs at OSHA um I know we're talking a lot about VPP today and and that's just one of the programs um on-site consultation is already a program that exists for small businesses uh and that's a free and a confidential service that OSHA already offers to small
▶ 1:15:28businesses. Um, and VPP tends to benefit um large corporations and um so and those are those are employers that are already paying attention to safety because they have to do that in order to get into the program. They have to have low uh injury and illness rates to maintain to stay in the program. And where we've seen pressure to maintain low injury and illness rates, we also see um policies and pressure for workers to not raise and report um injuries and illnesses.
▶ 1:15:57There's also a a significant problem of every VPP uh employer having inspection exemptions. So for voluntary programs, um we should not be exempting um uh uh OSHA from from having inspections. It's sort of a a backwards way of thinking. um if you are doing your best and you're having the best employers who should be going above and beyond OSHA standards, uh they should pass inspections without problem.
▶ 1:16:24But we do have um we've seen many willful violations and fatalities at VPP sites. I'm not saying all and I'm not saying that there aren't, you know, good uh VPP programs in some workplaces with some employers. Um but the problem systematically uh the program still systematically has problems. Um Mr. Williams. Um, how can we be confident that um, violations are actually reported and can that be legally enforced? Absolutely, Mr. Scott.
▶ 1:16:52I would address the the concern about the program inspection exemption with this. BPB does not exempt sites, the program does not exempt sites from inspections for imminent dangers, from whistleblower actions. So, VPP sites are still required, are still subject to those inspections. From a validation standpoint, I would also like to mention that VPP goss issued a report in 2009 that offered up recommendations to improve the program from an internal standpoint at OSHA.
▶ 1:17:20And I do want to want to thank previous assistant secretary of labor Dr. Michaels and Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Bear because under their their watch, they implemented the changes that Jo recommended to improve and strengthen the program. And so we want to thank them for their support of EPPP and also for making the program better and validating that it is successful. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Next, we'll go to Mr. Grothman from Wisconsin. Thank you. Uh we have advantage of your expertise.
▶ 1:17:51Uh in your written testimony, you say that the 150 Centas sites are currently participating in the voluntary protection program, making you the largest VPP participant by total number of work sites. Can you share any data or success stories showing how VPP has helped reduce injuries? And Yes sir. Thank you for your question.
▶ 1:18:14Um, so the VPP program has uh tremendously help Centas in improving their uh employee engagement, their their culture uh in in making sure everyone returns home safe at the end of the day. um building more of a uh great system that we have our uh health and safety management system um to together not just with one uh person or one department but with all all employees there.
▶ 1:18:41Um reduced our incident rates uh as as well as helped with uh partnering with other businesses outside of Centas to uh to help with our best practice and things to implement within our four walls. uh it's rare that uh it's that the uh answer is found just within our former walls. So partnering with other successful companies with uh great management systems has been a benefit for us. Oh just a plus plus plus. Okay Mr.
▶ 1:19:10S or Mr. S, do you have a anything to add to that or your Well certainly from the construction application uh since 2001 it's been extremely helpful because you know in construction we have our own set of issues. So it has addressed a lot of a lot of a lot of issues that we've had over the years with respect to working with OSHA. It's always been our desire to do that and VPP has enabled that. And and I'd like to to add just kind of off topic for a second.
▶ 1:19:40We were talking about compliance assistant specialist and I think it's good to know if just using region five there's only four compliance assistant specialists one in Ohio three in Illinois which also means none in Wisconsin and I wish Miss Stevens would still be here that means there's none in Michigan either so there's a severe lack of that that we're not reaching out and partnering with employees employers thank you okay I guess you kind of brought this up but I'll I'll follow up with the question anyway how could OSHA better support industry led
▶ 1:20:10safety initiatives and partnerships rather than pursuing policies that appear more focused on headlines than really improving safety. Well, that's a great question and seems to be the hot topic uh currently. Clearly, uh new day, new day. Love it.
▶ 1:20:27Uh so certainly the 5% funding of voluntary protection programs will be a step in the right direction as well as getting these area offices their compliance assistance specialists back so they can work with the people that want to improve health and safety in the lives of their workers and enable the businesses to grow. Um you know we're all trying to grow um in a in a way that's that's healthy, safe, and smart. Uh to provide workers, you know, a quality of life and to provide this this great country with a future.
▶ 1:20:57Okay, Mr. Williams, I'll finish up with you. Uh, h could you tell us how uh VPP helps your business improve uh safety without the threat of penalties or adversarial enforcement? I can certainly speak from the perspective of our 1400 members, of which more than half are current VP It's quite frankly a culture change and I come from a construction background. I'm construction kid, grew up in the industry.
▶ 1:21:23My dad was a contractor and I've seen firsthand 30 40 years ago when I was much younger and not gray what the safety culture was back in I'll call them the old days the bad old days and what VPP has from an effect standpoint is it creates that tea changing culture where we move from there's acceptable risk to we will not perform a task if it is not completely safe and we will work with our employees we will ask our frontline workers what they need to function safely to go home at the end of the day the same
▶ 1:21:53or better condition which they arrived. That culture change is a direct result of VPP and the stringent requirements not just from the application certification process but every year with the annual self-evaluation every 3 to 5 years with that audit when OSHA comes on that site with their SGES and they will pick apart that site and our VPP sites our members welcome that they want that because that is an outside thirdparty audit they're going to gain a better perspective than what they see on their own.
▶ 1:22:19So there is that compliance portion of it and then the direct positive effect not just from a business standpoint because safety pays and VPP works and saves but also from an employee morale standpoint and employee wellbeing standpoint. Can you give us an example of some of the negative grandstanding that you may have gotten in the past from OSHA or that you're familiar with? We can tell you that there's been threats to the program from the standpoint of of purely from the enforcement. As I said earlier before, enforcement is always going to be a core function for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
▶ 1:22:50But when you look at enforcement and and comments here today, we've heard some of them. Enforcement and inspections are similar to a speeding ticket. Police officer pulls you over, gives you the ticket, you go on your way. And so the short-term impact is very positive. You're most likely going to be on the lookout, you're not going to speed, but over time you regress back to going over the speed limit and creating that hazard. compliance assistance, education from a speeding ticket standpoint.
▶ 1:23:15Going to a driver's ed course or medial course to talk about the impact that someone speeding has on a victim of an accident that's caused by speeding, for example. The similar pro the similar comparison with VPP and compliance assistance. Compliance assistance goes over those other 363 days when the inspector is not on site and helps make that site safer. It's that long-term education and value component that prevents that fatality, prevents that catastrophic injury. Okay. Thank you.
▶ 1:23:46Thank you. That concludes questioning from members and I want to thank all the members for participating today. Uh with that, we're going to go to closing remarks and I'd like to recognize the ranking member for her closing Thank you uh chairman and thank you uh once again to all of our witnesses for speaking with us today. Today's discussion has made one thing abundantly clear.
▶ 1:24:12The future of workplace safety depends not on weakening protections but on strengthening partnerships between OSHA employers and workers. Compliance assistance should be about empowering everyone to work together to identify hazards before they cause harm and not about providing loopholes that allow dangerous conditions to persist.
▶ 1:24:36We have seen what we have seen from the Trump administration is a systematic effort to deregulate, defund and dismantle the very institutions that keep workers safe. And the human cost of this deregulatory agenda will be devastating.
▶ 1:24:54From slashing capacity to NYOSH to gutting OSHA enforcement to zeroing out the Chemical Safety Board, this administration's reckless decisions would lead to more deaths, more injuries, and more families broken by preventable tragedies.
▶ 1:25:14We need strong enforcable standards, not voluntary programs that lack accountability or budget and staffing cuts that risk more worker lives. Good employers understand that safety is both a moral duty and an essential for business success.
▶ 1:25:34The bills introduced by ranking members Scott, myself, and some of my other colleagues, like the Protecting American Workers Act, and the Heat Illness Prevention Act, offer practical solutions to close coverage gaps and strengthen enforcement and address deadly risks like heat stress. As we conclude, I urge all members of this committee to remember the stakes.
▶ 1:26:00Every regulation we weaken, every resource we cut means more workers at risk of injury or death. Every worker deserves to return home safe and healthy regardless of the industry or job. So let us commit to building safer workplace through robust standards, effective enforcement, and stronger partnerships. because no worker's life should ever be threatened as expendable.
▶ 1:26:31Thank you. And I yield back the balance of my time. Thank you. And I'd like to thank all of our witnesses for joining us here today for this important conversation about ways that we can keep workers safe in their workplaces. Volunteer voluntary protection programs can be one important component of workplace safety.
▶ 1:26:51And we heard in the testimony today about how we can actually prevent accidents before they occur by creating that culture for safety that exists throughout the entire year for workers, not just a snapshot of time when an enforcement official shows up for OSHA for a day or two days. Uh and they get to see and experience what's going on in that workplace. I think again we all want to have that preventative maintenance going on, that preventative safety.
▶ 1:27:16uh and I think voluntary protection programs help uh aid and assist workers uh in having that culture of safety in their workplaces. Uh we also had a broader discussion about the reforms that are going on at the Department of Labor. I think they're critically important because I think we saw during the last administration the absolute failings of the Biden administration and Democrats to hold them accountable for workplace safety.
▶ 1:27:40We saw that during the last administration in the spike of child labor violations that went on around this country. Hundfold increases, multiple hundfold increases in child violations. So all the regulations that they want to talk about, all the people that were at the Department of Labor during the last administration, they did nothing to keep children in this country safe. Absolutely nothing. So to sit here and say that we need no reforms and no changes is absolutely absurd.
▶ 1:28:08We want to work handinhand with the Trump administration to make sure that we're keeping workers safe in all environments and that's what we're going to do. The administration is making critical reforms that are so important and we're going to work with them as a legislative body to make sure that workers across this country are kept safe. Again, I can't uh believe that we sit here and hear from the other side about how they want to keep workers safe in this country when they did nothing for years to keep those children safe in their workplaces.
▶ 1:28:39Absolutely nothing. That's an outrage and it should be on the record that they did nothing. They said nothing and now they want to sit here and try to take the moral high ground for workers. Absolutely absurd. So with that, I would again like to thank our witnesses for being here today. Look forward to working with all of you and everybody across the aisle in a bipartisan fashion to find ways that we can keep workers safe in this country. Whether it's in a voluntary fashion or in a regulatory fashion, we all share that same goal.
▶ 1:29:09And I want to thank you again for being here. With that, this meeting is adjourned.