Environmental Health and Safety Update

OSHA’s Whistleblower Program offers protection from job loss or professional repercussions against any employee that has exercise rights under OSHA ACT.  Rights afforded by the OSH Act include employee participation in safety and health activities, such as complaining to OSHA and seeking an OSHA inspection, participating in an OSHA inspection, participating or testifying in any proceeding related to an OSHA inspection, and reporting a work-related injury, illness, or fatality. The whistleblower protection statutes administered by OSHA protect employees who report violations of various airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, environmental, financial reform, food safety, health care reform nuclear, pipeline, public transportation agency, railroad, maritime and securities laws.

OSHA has begun implementing reforms to the Whistleblower Program. A statement made by OSHA’s Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels reveals that “The new measures will significantly strengthen OSHA’s enforcement of the 21 whistleblower laws that Congress charged OSHA with administering.” Significant changes to the Whistleblower Protection Program will effect the restructuring, training, policies and internal systems.

The program will now report directly to the assistant secretary instead of the Directorate of Enforcement. Beginning of the 2012 fiscal year, 25 new investigators will be added to the program. OSHA will also hold a national whistleblower conference that will be attended by all investigators from federal and state plans. OSHA will also offer many other investigator training events to ensure that they receive all the mandatory training required by the end of the calendar year. The new changes will also bring modifications to the Whistleblower Investigations manual which was last updated in 2003. Alterations to the data collections system will also be made to ensure that all complaints will be handled in a more timely basis.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.