October 24, 2021 - Washington - Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) joined Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Representative Andy Levin (D-Mich.) to introduce new legislation to keep workers safe by requiring the publication of workplace violations. The Keeping Workers Safe Act directs the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to announce major violations by companies and distribute them to local media and related labor and trade organizations, a practice which has been shown to boost workplace safety. 

A recent Duke University study found that one OSHA press release on a major violation resulted in the equivalent compliance measures of 210 inspections. Based on the number of serious violations found each year, the effectiveness of OSHA inspections could therefore be doubled by mandating these notices. The study, which appeared in the American Economic Review, examined OHSA releases sent to local newspapers, finding a direct association between their being issued and improved workplace compliance. It has been estimated that workplace injuries cost $2.5 billion annually.

The Keeping Workers Safe Act would amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to require the OSHA Administrator to publicly disclose civil penalties greater than $60,000 or multiple serious or repeated violations within seven days of a citation being issued. It would require these disclosures to be submitted to relevant regional and local newspapers, trade or industry organizations, labor organizations, and State and local government entities in the region where the employer is located. 

The Keeping Workers Safe Act is supported by the National Employment Law Project, the Center for American Progress, UNITED HERE, and Teamsters.

The full text of the bill is available here.
Source: Senator Dianne Feinstein