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55–302 PDF 2010

PROTECTING AMERICA’S WORKERS 

ACT: MODERNIZING OSHA PENALTIES 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS 

COMMITTEE ON 

EDUCATION AND LABOR 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

HEARING HELD IN WASHINGTON, DC, MARCH 16, 2010 

Serial No. 111–51 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Education and Labor 

( 

Available on the Internet: 

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/congress/house/education/index.html 
(II) 

COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR 

GEORGE MILLER, California, Chairman 

Dale E. Kildee, Michigan, Vice Chairman 

Donald M. Payne, New Jersey 

Robert E. Andrews, New Jersey 

Robert C. ‘‘Bobby’’ Scott, Virginia 

Lynn C. Woolsey, California 

Rube ́n Hinojosa, Texas 

Carolyn McCarthy, New York 

John F. Tierney, Massachusetts 

Dennis J. Kucinich, Ohio 

David Wu, Oregon 

Rush D. Holt, New Jersey 

Susan A. Davis, California 

Rau ́l M. Grijalva, Arizona 

Timothy H. Bishop, New York 

Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania 

David Loebsack, Iowa 

Mazie Hirono, Hawaii 

Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania 

Phil Hare, Illinois 

Yvette D. Clarke, New York 

Joe Courtney, Connecticut 

Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire 

Marcia L. Fudge, Ohio 

Jared Polis, Colorado 

Paul Tonko, New York 

Pedro R. Pierluisi, Puerto Rico 

Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, 

Northern Mariana Islands 

Dina Titus, Nevada 

Judy Chu, California 

John Kline, Minnesota, 

Senior Republican Member 

Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin 

Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon, California 

Peter Hoekstra, Michigan 

Michael N. Castle, Delaware 

Mark E. Souder, Indiana 

Vernon J. Ehlers, Michigan 

Judy Biggert, Illinois 

Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania 

Joe Wilson, South Carolina 

Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington 

Tom Price, Georgia 

Rob Bishop, Utah 

Brett Guthrie, Kentucky 

Bill Cassidy, Louisiana 

Tom McClintock, California 

Duncan Hunter, California 

David P. Roe, Tennessee 

Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania 

Mark Zuckerman, Staff Director 

Barrett Karr, Minority Staff Director 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON WORKFORCE PROTECTIONS 

LYNN C. WOOLSEY, California, Chairwoman 

Carol Shea-Porter, New Hampshire 

Donald M. Payne, New Jersey 

Rau ́l M. Grijalva, Arizona 

Timothy H. Bishop, New York 

Phil Hare, Illinois 

Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, 

Northern Mariana Islands 

Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Washington, 

Ranking Minority Member 

Peter Hoekstra, Michigan 

Joe Wilson, South Carolina 

Tom Price, Georgia 
(III) 

C O N T E N T S 

Page 

Hearing held on March 16, 2010 ............................................................................ 1 

Statement of Members: 

Kline, Hon. John, Senior Republican Member, Committee on Education 

and Labor ...................................................................................................... 5 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 6 

McMorris Rodgers, Hon. Cathy, Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, submissions for the record: 

Prepared statement of the Coalition for Workplace Safety (CWS) ....... 101 

Letter, dated, March 16, 2010, from the Associated Builders and 

Contractors (ABC) .................................................................................. 102 

Miller, Hon. George, Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor, 

prepared statement of ................................................................................... 150 

Questions submitted to witnesses and their responses .......................... 152 

Titus, Hon. Dina, a Representative in Congress from the State of Nevada, 

submission for the record: H.R. 4864 .......................................................... 150 

Woolsey, Hon. Lynn C., Chairwoman, Subcommittee on Workforce Protections ................................................................................................................ 1 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 3 

Additional submissions for the record: 

H.R. 2067, Protecting America’s Workers Act ................................. 104 

Summary of the Protecting America’s Workers Act (H.R. 2067) ... 110 

Clarification of the Mens Rea requirement ...................................... 111 

Discussion draft of the Protecting America’s Workers Act (H.R. 

2067) ................................................................................................ 111 

Table: ‘‘Changes to the Civil and Criminal Penalty Provisions 

of the OSH Act Under PAWA’’ ...................................................... 122 

Report, ‘‘Discounting Death,’’ U.S. Senate, Committee on Health, 

Education, Labor, and Pensions, Internet address to ................. 123 

Letter, dated March 11, 2010, from Hon. Dave Freudenthal, Governor, State of Wyoming ................................................................ 123 

Seminario, Peg, director, safety and health, AFL–CIO, prepared 

statement of .................................................................................... 123 

Prepared statement of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) ...................................................................................... 129 

Rogers, Hon. Thomasina V., Chairman, Occupational Safety and 

Health Review Commission, prepared statement of .................... 131 

Ford, Tonya, Lincoln, NE, prepared statement of ........................... 133 

Table: ‘‘Maximum Penalties Adjusted for Inflation, 2000 to 

2010’’ ................................................................................................ 134 

Statement of Witnesses: 

Cruden, Hon. John C., Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Environment 

and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice .................. 15 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 16 

Response to questions submitted for the record ..................................... 154 

Additional submission: Supreme Court decision, Bryan v. United 

States ...................................................................................................... 23 

Frumin, Eric, health and safety coordinator, Change to Win ...................... 55 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 79 

Response to questions submitted for the record ..................................... 159 

Additional submissions: 

Indictment of the Xcel Corp. in Colorado ......................................... 57 

Indictment of BP Products North America, Inc. in Texas .............. 135 

Inspection documentation of the Xcel Corp. in Colorado ................ 143 
Page

IV 

Statement of Witnesses—Continued 

Michaels, Hon. David, Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and 

Health, U.S. Department of Labor .............................................................. 7 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 9 

Response to questions submitted for the record ..................................... 165 

Studies submitted for the record: 

‘‘How Much Work-Related Injury and Illness is Missed By the 

Current National Surveillance System?’’ by Kenneth D. 

Rosenman, et al, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2006 .................................................... 44 

‘‘Work Related Amputation in Michigan, 2007,’’ Internet address 

to ...................................................................................................... 52 

Snare, Jonathan L., partner, Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, on behalf 

of the Chamber of Commerce ....................................................................... 84 

Prepared statement of ............................................................................... 86 
(1) 

PROTECTING AMERICA’S WORKERS ACT: 

MODERNIZING OSHA PENALTIES 

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 

U.S. House of Representatives 

Subcommittee on Workforce Protections 

Committee on Education and Labor 

Washington, DC 

The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 10:00 a.m., in room 

2175, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Lynn Woolsey [chairwoman of the subcommittee] presiding. 

Present: Representatives Woolsey, Payne, Bishop, Hare, Sablan, 

and McMorris Rodgers. 

Also present: Representatives Titus and Kline. 

Staff present: Aaron Albright, Press Secretary; Tylease Alli, 

Hearing Clerk; Andra Belknap, Press Assistant; Jody Calemine, 

General Counsel; Lynn Dondis, Labor Counsel, Subcommittee on 

Workforce Protections; David Hartzler, Systems Administrator; 

Sadie Marshall, Chief Clerk; Richard Miller, Senior Labor Policy 

Advisor; Revae Moran, Detailee, Labor; Alex Nock, Deputy Staff 

Director; James Schroll, Junior Legislative Associate, Labor; Mark 

Zuckerman, Staff Director; Kirk Boyle, Minority General Counsel; 

Ed Gilroy, Minority Director of Workforce Policy; Rob Gregg, Minority Senior Legislative Assistant; Richard Hoar, Minority Professional Staff Member; Alexa Marrero, Minority Communications Director; Molly McLaughlin Salmi, Minority Deputy Director of Workforce Policy; Linda Stevens, Minority Chief Clerk/Assistant to the 

General Counsel; and Loren Sweatt, Minority Professional Staff 

Member. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. A quorum is present. The hearing of the 

Subcommittee on the Workforce Protections will come to order. 

At this time, I yield myself as much time as I require for my 

opening remarks. 

Thank you all for being here. This is an exciting day. This morning’s legislative hearing will examine the penalty provisions of H.R. 

2067, the Protecting America’s Workers Act. And we call it PAWA. 

So we will probably refer to that throughout our—this morning in 

the hearing. And we are also talking about the changes which have 

been circulated to further improve the bill since it has been introduced. 

Since I became chair of this subcommittee over 2 years ago, I 

have made it my top priority to keep the promise of the Occupational Safety and Health Act enacted 40 years ago to protect the 
2 

health and safety of American workers. There is no question that 

this law has saved hundreds of thousands of lives. And countless 

others have avoided preventable illnesses and injuries. 

But we can’t claim victory, because over 5,000 workers a year are 

still killed on the job. Fifty thousand die from occupational disease. 

And millions of others become seriously injured or ill. 

This subcommittee, and Chairman Miller’s full committee, have 

held numerous hearings on OSHA’s performance in carrying out 

the mandates of the OSH Act. Members have heard story after 

story of worker tragedies, and of deaths and injuries that could 

have been prevented if the employer had followed OSHA standards; 

and if OSHA had effectively enforced the law. 

But now we have a new sheriff in town, with Secretary Solis. 

And when she says she wants ‘‘good jobs for everyone,’’ she means 

that those jobs must be safe jobs. Already, under Assistant Secretary Michaels’ leadership, OSHA is addressing some of the very 

problems that we have uncovered. So OSHA has started down the 

right path. 

And both Chairman Miller and I will continue to perform our 

oversight function over the agency. However, there are limitations 

on OSHA’s effectiveness unless Congress makes fundamental 

changes to the OSH Act, which is a law that has not been updated 

since it was first passed in 1970. That is why, last year, I reintroduced H.R. 2067, the Protecting America’s Workers Act. H.R. 2067 

addresses three major weaknesses in the OSH Act. 

First, it provides OSHA coverage to the over 8.5 million state, 

county and municipal workers who currently have limited or no 

protection from safety and health hazards at work. Second, the bill 

makes changes to OSHA’s ‘‘whistleblower’’ provisions, because today’s process is inadequate—putting off decisions and depriving 

workers of due process. Finally, the bill brings OSHA enforcement 

into the 21st century by updating civil and criminal penalties. And 

that is what today’s hearing is about—civil and criminal penalty 

provisions in section 310 and 311 of PAWA, as well as the proposed 

changes to the introduced bill. 

Penalties are critical to the effective enforcement of the OSH Act, 

otherwise they become meaningless. OSHA civil penalties have not 

been increased in two decades, and they are extremely low. In addition, the OSH Act is exempted from the Inflation Adjustment Act, 

keeping penalties much, much lower than they would be if they 

had been adjusted for inflation over time. 

And while OSHA can implement policy changes to increase the 

size of some penalties, it is clear that without a change in the penalty structure of the statute, they will never be high enough to be 

an effective deterrent, especially for those employers who are repeat violators. And the penalties under the OSH Act pale in comparison to penalties under other laws. 

For example, under the Mine Act, egregious violations can carry 

civil penalties up to $250,000. The penalty increases in PAWA are 

modest, and are roughly the same had the penalties been adjusted 

for inflation after they were updated in 1990. And these higher 

penalties also apply to OSHA state plans. 

One of the critical features of PAWA’s civil penalty structure is 

that it establishes significant minimum and maximum civil pen-
3 

alties for violations which result in the death of a worker. Under 

current law, this is not the case. And as a result, when a worker 

dies due to an employer’s violation, it is shocking how low the penalties turn out to be without a mandatory minimum. 

In January 2009, Robert Fitch fell 84 feet to his death at an Archer Daniels Midland plant in Lincoln, Nebraska. The final settlement agreement reached by OSHA for this preventable death was 

exactly zero. This is unacceptable. 

PAWA also makes needed changes to the criminal penalties, including making top management liable for criminal misconduct. 

Under current law, only corporations, and not corporate officials, 

can be criminally liable for willful violations; and this liability is 

limited only to cases where a worker has died. 

For example, a worker in Idaho suffered permanent brain damage because, upon the orders of his employer, he entered a tank of 

cyanide waste without the proper protective equipment, in violation 

of OSHA’s confined-space rules. The owner was successfully prosecuted under the environmental laws, and he was sentenced to 17 

years in prison. But he could not be prosecuted under the OSH Act 

because the worker didn’t die. But even if the owner had been prosecuted under the OSH Act, he would have been guilty of a misdemeanor, and serve only 6 months in jail. 

The Justice Department has advised us that criminal misdemeanors under the OSH Act are rarely prosecuted. PAWA 

changes that. Employers, including top executives, can serve up to 

10 years in jail for criminal behavior which causes the death or serious injury of a worker. 

Congress needs to put teeth into these penalties so that employers are held accountable for their bad behavior, and so that they 

no longer view penalties as part of the cost of doing business. 

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses. But before I introduce the panel, I recognize Ranking Member Kline for his opening 

statement. 

[The statement of Ms. Woolsey follows:] 

Prepared Statement of Hon. Lynn C. Woolsey, Chairwoman, 

Subcommittee on Workforce Protections 

This morning’s legislative hearing will examine the penalty provisions of H.R. 

2067, the Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA), and the proposed changes, 

which have been circulated to further improve the bill. 

Since I became chair of this subcommittee over two years ago, I have made it my 

top priority to keep 

The promise of the occupational safety and health act enacted 40 years ago * * * 

to protect the health and safety of American workers. 

There is no question that this law has saved hundreds of thousands of lives, and 

countless others have avoided preventable illnesses and injuries. 

But we cannot claim victory because over 5,000 workers a year are still killed on 

the job, 50,000 die from occupational disease, and millions of others become seriously ill or injured. 

This subcommittee—and Chairman Miller’s full committee—has held numerous 

hearings on OSHA’s performance in carrying out the mandates of the OSH act. 

Members have heard story after story of worker tragedies and of deaths and injuries that could have been prevented if the employer had followed OSHA standards, 

and if OSHA had effectively enforced the law. 

But now we have a new sheriff in town with Secretary Solis, and when she says 

she wants ‘‘good jobs for everyone,’’ she means jobs that are safe! 

Already under Assistant Secretary Michael’s leadership, OSHA is addressing 

some of the very problems we have uncovered. 

So OSHA has started down the right path. 
4 

And both Chairman Miller and I will continue to perform our oversight function 

over the agency. 

However, there are limitations on OSHA’s effectiveness unless congress makes 

fundamental changes to the OSH act itself a law, which has not been updated since 

it was first passed in 1970. 

That is why last year I reintroduced HR 2067, the protecting America’s workers 

act (PAWA). 

HR 2067 addresses three major weaknesses in the OSH act. 

First, it provides OSHA coverage to the over 8.5 million state, county and municipal workers, who currently have limited or no protection from safety and health 

hazards at work. 

Second, the bill makes changes to OSHA’s whistleblower provisions because today’s process is inadequate; putting off decisions and depriving workers of due process. Finally, the bill brings OSHA enforcement into the 21st century, by updating civil 

and criminal penalties. 

And that is what today’s hearing is about: the civil and criminal penalty provisions in sections 310 and 311 of PAWA, as well as the proposed changes to the introduced bill. 

Penalties are critical to the effective enforcement of the OSH act; otherwise they 

become meaningless. 

OSHA civil penalties have not been increased in 2 decades and are extremely low. 

In addition, the OSH act is exempted from the inflation adjustment act keeping 

penalties even lower. 

And while OSHA can implement policy changes to increase the size of some penalties, it is clear that without a change in the penalty structure of the statute, they 

will never be high enough to be an effective deterrent, especially for those employers 

who are repeat violators. 

The penalties under the OSH act pale in comparison to penalties under other 

laws. 

For example, under the mine act, egregious violations can carry civil penalties up to $250,000. 

The penalty increases in PAWA are modest and are roughly the same 

Had the penalties been adjusted for inflation after they were updated in 1990. 

And these higher penalties also apply to OSHA state plans. 

One of the critical features of PAWA’s civil penalty structure is that it establishes 

significant minimum and maximum civil penalties for violations, which result in the 

death of a worker. 

Under current law, this is not the case, and as a result, when a worker dies due 

to an employer’s violation, it is shocking how low these penalties turn out to be 

without a mandatory minimum. 

In January 2009, Robert Fitch fell 84 feet to his death at an Archer-Daniels-Midland plant in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

The final settlement agreement reached by OSHA for this preventable death was 

exactly zero! 

This is unacceptable. 

PAWA also makes needed changes to the criminal penalties, including making top 

management liable for criminal misconduct. 

Under current law, only corporations and not corporate officials can be criminally 

liable for willful violations, and this liability is limited only to cases where a worker 

has died. 

For example, a worker in Idaho suffered permanent brain damage because—upon 

the orders of his employer—he entered a tank of cyanide waste without the proper 

protective equipment in violation of OSHA’s confined space rules. 

The owner was successfully prosecuted under the environmental laws, and he was 

sentenced to 17 years in prison. 

But he could not be prosecuted under the OSH act because the worker did not 

die. 

But even if the owner had been prosecuted under the OSH act, he would have 

been guilty of a misdemeanor and served only six months in jail. 

The justice department has advised us that criminal misdemeanors under the 

OSH act are rarely prosecuted. 

PAWA changes that: employers—including top executives—can serve up to 10 

years in jail for criminal behavior, which causes the death or serious injury of a 

worker. 

Congress needs to put teeth into these penalties so that employers are held accountable for their bad behavior and no longer view penalties as part of the cost 

of doing business. 
5 

I look forward to hearing from our witnesses, but before I introduce panel one, 

I recognize ranking member McMorris-Rodgers for her opening statement. 

Mr. KLINE. Thank you, Madam Chair. 

Good morning to all present. 

Welcome to our witnesses. 

This morning’s hearing is, in congressional terms, a legislative 

hearing. In other words, it is a direct examination and review of 

a particular piece of legislation—in this case, the Protecting America’s Workers Act. This bill was introduced in April of last year 

and, since that time, has undergone some fairly substantial revisions. Through today’s hearing, we will have an opportunity to review the proposed changes and, I hope, we will have a discussion 

about what other changes may be needed. 

The title of this hearing and the substance of the legislation is 

described as ‘‘Modernizing OSHA Penalties.’’ Certainly, it is worthwhile to review penalties under the Occupational Safety and 

Health Act, but I would suggest that a discussion of workplace 

safety is incomplete if it only focuses on penalties. 

Witnesses in prior hearings have suggested that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration must achieve a balance 

between compliance assistance and enforcements. No one is suggesting a 50-50 split. But a single-minded focus on punishing individuals after accidents occur is simply the wrong direction for federal policy. 

More appropriately, the focus of OSHA should be on preventing 

the accidents rather than merely responding to them. A proactive 

safety approach is one that protects employees from hazards and 

prevents accidents from happening. 

The outliers for whom safety is not a concern will find no sympathy from anybody on this committee. As with all federal policy, 

when it comes to workplace safety, we must guard against unintended consequences. For instance, one consequence of upending 40 

years of legal precedent may be a dramatic increase in litigation 

over safety and health citations. Litigations helps no one. Employers will be forced to spend resources in the courtroom, rather than 

on safety in the work room. 

So I think we should ask: Is there another way—a better way 

that would not increase litigation? It is an issue we ought to explore today. 

There are other issues that merit further discussion as well. For 

instance, some have tried to draw parallels between the Mine Act 

and the OSH Act. And while it is true that both laws address workplace health, there are important differences between these two 

statutes. 

For example, the discussion draft before us today would require 

hazard abatement similar to the Mine Act; yet, there has been very 

little discussion about the fact that mine inspectors are required to 

have requisite experience before becoming inspectors. OSHA does 

not have an equivalent experience requirement. 

Many of the performance standards in current regulation applied 

highly sophisticated and complex processes. ‘‘No inspector training 

or experience’’ may be an area that needs to be more fully examined. 
6 

I would close with a warning about one final unintended consequence—the danger that we could harm the very workers we are 

trying to help. Particularly in today’s economic climate, we must 

ensure efforts to enhance workplaces do not lead to job losses. Policies that impact our workplaces virtually always carry with them 

a cost, and we must be mindful not to impose any unnecessary or 

unnecessarily costly new requirements. 

Workplace safety is an imperative, and every employer must 

abide by safety and health standards. But Congress should not 

make it more difficult to keep our workplaces safe and efficient by 

inserting unnecessary or overly punitive hurdles. 

Again, I thank the chair for holding this hearing, and our witnesses for sharing their expertise. And I yield back. 

[The statement of Mr. Kline follows:] 

Prepared Statement of Hon. John Kline, Senior Republican Member, 

Committee on Education and Labor 

Thank you Madam Chair. Good morning and welcome to all the witnesses. 

This morning’s hearing is, in congressional terms, a ‘‘legislative hearing’’—in 

other words, it’s a direct examination and review of a particular piece of legislation, 

in this case the Protecting America’s Workers Act. This bill was introduced in April 

of last year and, since that time, has undergone some fairly substantial revisions. 

Through today’s hearing, we’ll have an opportunity to review the proposed changes 

and—I hope—we’ll have a discussion about what other changes may be needed. 

The title of this hearing—and the substance of the legislation—is described as 

‘‘modernizing OSHA penalties.’’ Certainly, it’s worthwhile to review penalties under 

the Occupational Safety and Health Act. But I would suggest that a discussion of 

workplace safety is incomplete if it only focuses on penalties. 

Witnesses in prior hearings have suggested that the Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration must achieve a balance between compliance assistance and 

enforcement. No one is suggesting a 50-50 split, but a single-minded focus on punishing individuals after accidents occur is simply the wrong direction for federal policy. 

More appropriately, the focus of OSHA should be on preventing the accidents 

rather than merely responding to them. A proactive safety approach is one that protects employees from hazards and prevents accidents from happening. The outliers 

for whom safety is not a concern will find no sympathy before this Committee. 

As with all federal policy, when it comes to workplace safety we must guard 

against unintended consequences. For instance, one consequence of upending 40 

years of legal precedent may be a dramatic increase in litigation over safety and 

health citations. Litigation helps no one—employers would be forced to spend resources in the court room rather than on safety in the work room. So I think we 

should ask: Is there another way, a better way, that would not increase litigation? 

It’s an issue we ought to explore today. 

There are other issues that merit further discussion as well. For instance, some 

have tried to draw parallels between the Mine Act and the OSH Act. And while it’s 

true that both laws address workplace health, there are important differences between these two statutes. 

For example, the discussion draft before us today would require hazard abatement 

similar to the Mine Act. Yet there has been very little discussion about the fact that 

mine inspectors are required to have requisite experience before becoming inspectors. OSHA does not have an equivalent experience requirement. Many of the performance standards in current regulation apply to highly sophisticated and complex 

processes, so inspector training or experience may be an area that needs to be more 

fully examined. 

I would close with a warning about one final unintended consequence—the danger 

that we could harm the very workers we’re trying to help. Particularly in today’s 

economic climate, we must ensure efforts to enhance workplaces do not lead to job 

losses. Policies that impact our workplaces virtually always carry with them a cost, 

and we must be mindful not to impose any unnecessary or unnecessarily costly new 

requirements. Workplace safety is an imperative, and every employer must abide by 

safety and health standards. But Congress should not make it more difficult to keep 

our workplaces safe and efficient by inserting unnecessary or overly punitive hurdles. 
7 

Again, I thank the gentle lady for holding this hearing and our witnesses for sharing their expertise. I yield back. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Thank you, Congressman Kline. 

Without objection, the members will have 14 days to submit additional materials for the hearing record. 

I would like to introduce—we are going to have two panels. And 

I am going to introduce the first panel, and then we will hear from 

then and have our questions. Then we will have panel two. 

I would like to introduce our very distinguished guest on panel 

one this morning. And I would like to welcome all of our witnesses. 

In this order—we will hear from the Honorable David Michaels, 

who is the assistant secretary of the Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration. 

Before coming to OSHA in 2009, David Michaels was professor 

of environmental and occupational health at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. 

From 1998 to 2002, Dr. Michaels served as assistant secretary of 

energy for environmental safety and health. He received a master 

in public health and PhD from Columbia University, and a B.A. 

from City College of New York. 

Following Dr. Michaels, Mr. John Cruden, who has served as the 

deputy assistant attorney general for the environment and natural 

resources division—of what—of the Department of Justice, since 

1995. He is responsible for supervising a wide variety of environmental litigations, including the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, 

and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. 

Prior to his role as deputy, he served as chief of the division’s environmental enforcement section, and as special counsel to the assistant attorney general for the civil division. John Cruden earned 

his J.D. from the University of Santa Clara, a master’s degree in 

government and foreign affairs at the University of Virginia, and 

a B.S. from the U.S. Military Academy. 

We will begin with you, Mr. Michaels. 

Oh, wait a minute. I am sorry. I have to tell you something that 

I—you all know, so I didn’t—I forgot to do this. You know about 

the lighting system. So when you get started, the lights are green 

and, by the time they turn yellow, you have 1 minute left of your 

5 minutes. We promise not to cut you off. The floor doesn’t open. 

You don’t disappear. But when you see the yellow light—orange 

light—if you could start wrapping up, we would appreciate it. 

Then, we will hear the rest of what you have to say in our questions. 

Thank you. 

Now, Mr. Michaels? 

STATEMENT OF DAVID MICHAELS, ASSISTANT SECRETARY, 

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Mr. MICHAELS. Chairwoman Woolsey, Ranking Member Kline, 

members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to 

share the Department of Labor’s views on the Protecting America’s 

Worker Act, particularly the issue of enhanced penalties. 
8 

I am pleased to return to this committee having served as a Robert Wood Johnson health-policy fellow on the committee staff in 

1994. Secretary Hilda Solis’ vision for the Department of Labor is 

‘‘good jobs for everyone.’’ Good jobs are safe jobs. And the stronger 

OSHA—and stronger OSHA enforcement will save lives. 

In 2001, a tank of sulfuric acid exploded at a Delaware oil refinery, killing a worker named Jeff Davis. His body literally dissolved 

in the acid. The OSHA penalty was only $175,000; yet, in the same 

incidence, thousands of dead fish and crabs were discovered, allowing an EPA Clean Water Act citation of $10 million. How can we 

tell Jeff Davis’ wife and his five children that the penalty for killing fish and crabs is 50 times higher than the penalty for killing 

their husband and father? 

Most employers want to do the right thing. But many others will 

comply with OSHA rules only if there are strong incentives to do 

so. OSHA’s current penalties are often not large enough to provide 

adequate incentives, and they are very low in comparison with 

those of other public-health agencies. 

Currently, serious violations—those that pose a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm—are subject to a maximum civil penalty of only $7,000. Clearly, OSHA can never put a 

price on a worker’s life. It is vital that OSHA be empowered to 

send a strong message, especially when a life is needlessly lost. 

Despite inflation, monetary penalties for OSHA violations have 

been increased only once in 40 years. Unscrupulous employers 

often consider it more cost-effective to pay the minimum OSHA 

penalty than to correct the underlying hazard. OSHA criminal penalties are also inadequate for deterring the most egregious employer wrongdoing. The maximum period of incarceration upon conviction for a knowing violation that costs a workers life is 6 months 

in jail, making these crimes a mere misdemeanor. 

Serious OSHA violations that result in death or serious bodily injury should be felonies like insider trading, tax crimes or customs 

and anti-trust violations. Employers who refuse to comply with 

safety and health standards—determining, rather, that it is worth 

the financial risk, will think again if there is a chance they will go 

to jail. 

We also recognize that OSHA has a role to play in using our own 

authority to reevaluate penalty levels. OSHA has not adjusted its 

penalty formulas for over the last 2 decades—over the last 2 decades; therefore, in addition to our strong support of the necessary 

statutory changes in the—that this legislation would make, we are 

planning to implement long-overdue internal changes in our penalty policies. However, these steps are no substitute for the meaningful and substantial penalty changes including in this—included 

in this legislation. 

Good jobs are also jobs where workers’ voices are part of the conversation about creating safe workplaces. If employees fear they 

will lose their jobs or be otherwise retaliated against for actively 

participating in safety and health activities, they are not likely to 

do so. Achieving the goal of ‘‘good jobs for everyone’’ includes 

strengthening workers’ voices in the workplace. Without robust job 

protections, these voices may be silenced. PAWA strengthens these 

protections. 
9 

PAWA also includes a number of sections that would expand the 

rights of victims’ families. For the past 15 years, OSHA has included families in the investigation process. This legislation would 

make this policy permanent. No one is affected more than the— 

more by a workplace tragedy than workers and their families. So 

we fully recognize and appreciate their desire to be more involved 

in the remedial process. 

One of the most significant changes to the OSH Act is the provision which requires abatement of serious, willful and repeat hazards during the contest periods. OSHA believes this protection is 

critical. Too often hazards remain uncorrected, and workers remain 

at risk because of a lengthy contest proceeding. 

Madam Chair, I appreciate the thought and effort that has gone 

into PAWA. The administration supports both the goals of PAWA 

and many other specific provisions. We note that several sections 

would present significant budgetary and workload challenges for 

OSHA and OSHA’s support agencies, including the solicitor’s office 

and the review commission. 

I look forward to working with you to ensure that we address 

these issues in the right way. Thank you, again, for the opportunity to testify today. I request that my written testimony be entered into the record, and I am happy to answer your questions. 

[The statement of Mr. Michaels follows:] 

Prepared Statement of Hon. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary for 

Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor 

Chair Woolsey, Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers, Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity today to share the Department of Labor’s 

views on the Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA), particularly the issue of enhanced penalties. 

Until 1970 there was no national guarantee that workers throughout America 

would be protected from workplace hazards. In that year the Congress enacted a 

powerful and far-reaching law—the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 

(OSH Act). The results of this law speak for themselves. The annual injury/illness 

rate among American workers has decreased by 65 percent since 1973, and while 

there are many contributing factors, the OSH Act is unquestionably among them. 

Employers, unions, academia, and private safety and health organizations pay a 

great deal more attention to worker protection today than they did prior to enactment of this landmark legislation. 

But we cannot rest on our laurels. If we are to fulfill the Department’s goal of 

providing good jobs for everyone, we must make even more progress. Good jobs are 

safe jobs, and American workers still face unacceptable hazards. More than 5,000 

workers are killed on the job in America each year, more than 4 million are injured, 

and thousands more will become ill in later years from present occupational exposures. Moreover, the workplaces of 2010 are not those of 1970: the law must change 

as our workplaces have changed. The vast majority of America’s environmental and 

public health laws have undergone significant transformations since they were enacted in the 1960s and 70s, while the OSH Act has seen only minor amendments. 

As a British statesman once remarked, ‘‘The only human institution which rejects 

progress is the cemetery.’’ 

I therefore appreciate the work of this Subcommittee in proposing legislation that 

would strengthen the law and significantly increase OSHA’s ability to protect American workers. The Administration strongly supports the goals of the Protecting 

America’s Workers Act (PAWA). Many provisions in the Act would enable OSHA 

more effectively to accomplish its mission to ‘‘assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women,’’ which is also a key component of Secretary 

of Labor Solis’ vision of Good Jobs for Everyone. Jobs cannot be good jobs unless 

they are safe jobs. Stronger OSHA enforcement will save lives. 

Because OSHA can visit only a limited number of workplaces each year we need 

a stronger OSH Act to leverage our resources to encourage compliance by employers. 

We need to make employers who ignore real hazards to their workers’ safety and 
10 

health think again. We need to bring OSHA into the 21st century. PAWA includes 

critical provisions that deal with significant weaknesses in the current law and 

more adequately ensure the safety and health of America’s workers. Today, my testimony will focus on the key issue of enhanced penalties for occupational safety and 

health violations, and then turn to some of the bill’s other provisions. 

Safe jobs exist only when employers have adequate incentives to comply with 

OSHA’s requirements. Those incentives are affected, in turn, by both the magnitude 

and the likelihood of penalties. Swift, certain and meaningful penalties provide an 

important incentive to ‘‘do the right thing.’’ However, OSHA’s current penalties are 

not large enough to provide adequate incentives. Currently, serious violations— 

those that pose a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to workers—are subject to a maximum civil penalty of only $7,000. Let me emphasize 

that—a violation that causes a ‘‘substantial probability of death—or serious physical 

harm’’ brings a maximum penalty of only $7,000. Willful and repeated violations 

carry a maximum penalty of only $70,000 and willful violations a minimum of 

$5,000. 

Currently, the average OSHA penalty is only around $1,000. The median initial 

penalty proposed for all investigations in cases where a worker was killed conducted 

in FY 2007 was just $5,900. Clearly, OSHA can never put a price on a worker’s life 

and that is not the purpose of penalties—even in fatality cases. OSHA must, however, be empowered to send a stronger message in cases where a life is needlessly 

lost than the message that a $5,900 penalty sends. We must not forget that a 

stronger message means stronger deterrence—and can therefore save lives. 

In 2008, testimony before a Senate committee revealed numerous examples of 

small fines in very serious cases. In New Jersey an immigrant worker was killed 

in a fall. The original penalty against his employer for failing to provide fall protection was $2,000 which was later reduced to $1,400. In Michigan in 2006 the initial 

penalty against an energy cooperative was just $4,200 when an employee died after 

a backhoe hit a gas line that exploded. The employer had violated standards for excavation and safety programs. 

Monetary penalties for violations of the OSH Act have been increased only once 

in 40 years despite inflation during that period. Unscrupulous employers often consider it more cost effective to pay the minimal OSHA penalty and continue to operate an unsafe workplace than to correct the underlying health and safety problem. 

The current penalties do not provide an adequate deterrent. This is apparent when 

compared to penalties that other agencies are allowed to assess. 

For example, the Department of Agriculture is authorized to impose a fine of up 

to $130,000 on milk processors for willful violations of the Fluid Milk Promotion Act, 

which include refusal to pay fees and assessments to help advertise and research 

fluid milk products. The Federal Communications Commission can fine a TV or 

radio station up to $325,000 for indecent content. The Environmental Protection 

Agency can impose a penalty of $270,000 for violations of the Clean Air Act and 

a penalty of $1 million for attempting to tamper with a public water system. Yet, 

the maximum civil penalty OSHA may impose when a hard-working man or woman 

is killed on the job—even when the death is caused by a willful violation of an 

OSHA requirement—is $70,000. 

In 2001 a tank full of sulphuric acid exploded at a Motiva refinery. A worker was 

killed and his body literally dissolved. The OSHA penalty was only $175,000. Yet, 

in the same incident, thousands of dead fish and crabs were discovered, allowing 

an EPA Clean Water Act violation amounting to $10 million—50 times higher. 

PAWA makes much needed increases in both civil and criminal penalties for every 

type of violation of the OSH Act and would increase penalties for willful or repeat 

violations that involve a fatality to as much as $250,000. These increases are not 

inappropriately large. In fact, for most violations, they raise penalties only to the 

level where they will have the same value, accounting for inflation, as they had in 

1990. 

In order to ensure that the effect of the newly increased penalties do not degrade 

in the same way, PAWA also provides for inflation adjustments for civil penalties 

based on increases or decreases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Unlike most 

other Federal enforcement agencies, the OSH Act has been exempt from the Federal 

Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act, so there have not even been increases in 

OSHA penalties for inflation, which has reduced the real dollar value of OSHA penalties by about 39%. PAWA’s penalty increases are necessary to create at least the 

same deterrent that Congress originally intended when it passed the OSH Act almost 40 years ago. Simply put, OSHA penalties must be increased to provide a real 

disincentive for employers not to accept injuries and worker deaths as a cost of 

doing business. 
11 

We also recognize that OSHA has a role to play in using our own authority to 

establish penalty levels. OSHA has not adjusted its own penalty formulas over the 

last two decades. Therefore, in addition to our strong support of the necessary statutory changes that PAWA would make to OSHA’s penalty structure, we are planning 

to implement long-overdue internal changes in our penalty proposal policies. These 

changes will be well-advertised so that all employers are aware of the new policies. 

However, OSHA believes any administrative changes we are able to make would 

still be inadequate to compel many employers to abate serious hazards. These steps 

are an effort to do the best with the outdated, antiquated tools we have. But we 

can only do so much within the constraints of the current OSH Act. This administrative effort is no substitute for the meaningful and substantial penalty changes 

included in PAWA. 

Criminal penalties in the OSH Act are also inadequate for deterring the most 

egregious employer wrongdoing. Under the OSH Act, criminal penalties are limited 

to those cases where a willful violation of an OSHA standard results in the death 

of a worker and to cases of false statements or misrepresentations. The maximum 

period of incarceration upon conviction for a violation that costs a worker’s life is 

six months in jail, making these crimes a misdemeanor. 

The criminal penalty provisions of the OSH Act have never been updated since 

the law was enacted in 1970 and are weaker than virtually every other safety and 

health and environmental law. Most of these other Federal laws have been strengthened over the years to provide for much tougher criminal penalties. The Clean Air 

Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act all provide for criminal prosecution for knowing violations of the law, and for knowing 

endangerment that places a person in imminent danger of death or serious bodily 

harm, with penalties of up to 15 years in jail. There is no prerequisite in these laws 

for a death or serious injury to occur. Other federal laws provide for a 20 year maximum jail sentence for dealing with counterfeit obligations or money, or mail fraud; 

and for a life sentence for operating certain types of criminal financial enterprises. 

Simply put, serious violations of the OSH Act that result in death or serious bodily injury should be felonies like insider trading, tax crimes, customs violations and 

anti-trust violations. 

Nothing focuses attention like the possibility of going to jail. Unscrupulous employers who refuse to comply with safety and health standards as an economic calculus will think again if there is a chance that they will go to jail for ignoring their 

responsibilities to their workers. 

PAWA would amend the OSH Act to change the burden of proof from ‘‘willfully’’ 

to ‘‘knowingly.’’ Specifically, Section 311 states that any employer who ‘‘knowingly’’ 

violates any standard, rule, or order and that violation results in the death of an 

employee is subject to a fine and not more than 10 years in prison. Most federal 

environmental crimes and most federal regulatory crime use ‘‘knowingly,’’ rather 

than ‘‘willfully.’’ This would ease the burden of proof currently required for a criminal violation under the OSH Act because it is easier to prove a knowing violation 

than to establish willfulness under current cases. 

In addition, potential criminal liability is expanded to any responsible corporate 

officer or director, which addresses Federal court rulings that limited liability for 

OSHA violations to corporations and high-level corporate officials. This section is 

aimed at the small minority of corporate officials who have behaved irresponsibly, 

resulting in the death or maiming of their employees. OSHA currently has no penalties adequate to deter such conduct. The possibility of incarceration is a powerful 

deterrent. Twenty years ago the Inspector General of DOL noted that: 

There is a visible odium that accrues to being indicted, convicted and jailed. I submit that it is the specter of precisely this kind of disgrace which will add to the 

credible deterrent at the Department of Labor. 

Because OSHA’s criminal penalties are considered misdemeanors Federal prosecutors often regard these cases as a poor use of scarce time and resources. Since passage of the OSH Act in 1970 fewer than 100 cases have been prosecuted while more 

than 300,000 workers have died from on-the-job injuries. 

In the 1980s, the State of Texas and Los Angeles County demonstrated that aggressive criminal law enforcement procedures improved occupational safety and 

health. In Texas, the number of trenching fatalities dropped dramatically when one 

county adopted a well-publicized criminal prosecution effort. In addition, OSHA continues to work with New York State’s prosecutors on similar prosecutions, even as 

recently as the Deutsche Bank case. The Subcommittee has wisely included a provision stating that nothing in PAWA shall preclude a state or local law enforcement 

agency from conducting criminal prosecutions in accordance with its own laws. 

In addition to making much needed changes to the OSH Act’s penalty provisions, 

PAWA would cover all public employees. There are more than 10 million Federal, 
12 

State and local government employees who do not receive the full range of protections from the OSH Act. According to 2008 BLS data, the total recordable case injury and illness incidence rate for state government employees was 21% higher than 

the private sector rate. The rate for local government employees was 79% higher. 

Clearly, some public sector jobs are extremely dangerous. Public employees deserve 

to be safe on the job, just as private-sector employees do. 

Twenty-six states and one territory now provide federally approved OSHA coverage to their public employees. Nonetheless, in 2008 there were more than 277,000 

injuries and illnesses with days away from work among state and local governmental employees. 

I applaud the Subcommittee for addressing these issues. Realizing the fiscal difficulties that many states now face we would like to have further discussions with 

the committee about this section. 

Good jobs are also jobs where workers’ voices are part of the conversation about 

creating safe workplaces. The OSH Act was one of the first safety and health laws 

to contain a provision for protecting whistleblowers—section 11(c). This provision 

protects employees from discrimination and retaliation when they report safety and 

health hazards or exercise other rights under the OSH Act. This protection is fundamental to OSHA’s capability for safeguarding the workforce. The creators of the 

OSH Act knew that OSHA would not be able to be at every workplace at all times, 

so the Act was constructed to encourage worker participation and rely heavily on 

workers to act as OSHA’s ‘‘eyes and ears’’ in identifying hazards at their workplaces. 

If employees fear that they will lose their jobs or be otherwise retaliated against 

for actively participating in safety and health activities, they are not likely to do 

so. Achieving the goal of Good Jobs for Everyone includes strengthening workers’ 

voices in their workplaces. Without robust job protections, these voices may be silenced. 

In the 40 years since the OSH Act became law Congress has enacted increasingly 

expansive whistleblower protections, leaving section 11(c) in significant ways the 

least protective of the 17 whistleblower statutes administered by OSHA. There has 

been bi-partisan consensus for the past twenty-five years on the need for uniform 

whistleblower protections for workers in every industry. This Administration supports uniformity as well. 

Notable weaknesses in section 11(c) include: inadequate time for employees to file 

complaints, lack of a statutory right of appeal; lack of a private right of action; and 

OSHA’s lack of authority to issue findings and preliminary orders, so that a complainant’s only chance to prevail is through the Federal Government filing an action 

in U.S. District Court. PAWA would strengthen section 11(c) by including the full 

range of procedures and remedies available under the more modern statutes and by 

codifying certain provisions, such as exemplary damages and the right to refuse to 

work, which have been available but not expressly authorized by current statute. 

There is no reason that workers speaking up about threats to their safety and 

health should enjoy less protection than workers speaking up about securities fraud 

or transportation hazards. 

PAWA strengthens these protections. It makes explicit that a worker may not be 

retaliated against for reporting injuries, illnesses or unsafe conditions to employers 

or to a safety and health committee, or for refusing to perform a task that the worker reasonably believes could result in serious injury or illness. These protections are 

already implicit in the OSH Act, but PAWA would leave no doubt in employers’ or 

employees’ minds about these rights. 

PAWA is an improvement on OSHA’s current law in significant ways. It protects 

employees who refuse work because they fear harm to other workers. It eliminates 

the requirements that no reasonable alternative to a work refusal exist, and that 

there be no time to contact OSHA. It requires only that a reasonable person faced 

with the same circumstances would conclude that performing such duties would result in serious injury or illness to him or herself, or other workers, and when practical, the employee has tried to obtain a remedy from the employer. 

Additionally, PAWA would increase the existing 30-day deadline for filing an 11(c) 

complaint would to 180 days, bringing 11(c) more in line with some of the other 

whistleblower statutes enforced by OSHA. Over the years many complainants who 

might otherwise have had a strong case of retaliation have been denied protection 

simply because they did not file within the 30-day deadline. Increasing the filing 

deadline to 180 days would greatly increase the protections afforded by section 11(c). 

PAWA’s adoption of the ‘‘contributing factor’’ test for determining when illegal retaliation has occurred would be a significant improvement in 11(c). It would make 

11(c) consistent with other whistleblower statutes that have also adopted the ‘‘contributing factor’’ scheme. This would enhance the protections afforded to America’s 

workers and improve workplace safety and health. 
13 

The private right to enforce an order is another key element of whistleblower protections and has been included in most other whistleblower statutes enforced by 

OSHA. It is critically important that if an employer fails to comply with an order 

providing relief, either DOL or the complainant be able to file a civil action for enforcement in a U.S. District Court. 

PAWA also allows complainants or employers to move their case to the next stage 

in the administrative or judicial process if the reviewing entities do not make 

prompt decisions or rulings. For example, PAWA would allow complainants to ‘‘kick 

out’’ to a District court if the Secretary has not issued a final order within the prescribed number of days from the case filing, or ‘‘kick out’’ from an OSHA investigation to a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) if OSHA has not issued 

a decision within 120 days of the filing of the complaint. 

The provision allowing employees in states administering OSHA-approved plans 

to choose between Federal and State whistleblower investigations would likely result in a significant increase in the number of Federal complaints. All 22 states that 

administer private sector plans currently provide protections at least as effective as 

Federal OSHA’s, as they are required to do under statute. We have reservations 

about this provision, because we are not sure this provision would add much protection for workers in those states, and it would be a significant drain on OSHA resources and those of the Solicitor of Labor. 

These legislative changes in the whistleblower provisions are a long-overdue response to deficiencies that have become apparent over the past four decades. 

The proposed legislation would prohibit employers from discouraging the reporting of work-related injuries and illnesses by employees. OSHA is strongly committed 

to accurate reporting of both injuries and illnesses. It shares the concern about 

under-reporting expressed by the Government Accountability Office and several academic studies. Only if we have confidence in the quality of the data that we collect 

on workers’ injuries and illness can we have confidence in our understanding of the 

scope of the dangers facing American workers and our targeted efforts to reduce 

those dangers. The agency believes that the most likely workplaces where underreporting occurs are those with low injury/illness rates operating in historically 

high-rate industries. We have initiated a National Emphasis Program to target 

these workplaces and check their records. PAWA’s recordkeeping provisions would 

greatly enhance the effectiveness of our NEP. 

PAWA includes a number of sections that would expand the rights of workers and 

victims’ families. For the past 15 years OSHA has informed victims and their families about our citation procedures and about settlements, and talked to families during the investigation process. PAWA would ensure this policy is strengthened and 

made permanent, as well as increase the ability of victims and family members to 

more actively participate in the process. 

It would place into law, for the first time, the right of a victim (injured employee 

or family member) to meet with OSHA, to receive copies of the citation at no cost, 

to be informed of any notice of contest and to make a statement before an agreement is made to withdraw or modify a citation. No one is affected more by a workplace tragedy than workers and their families, so we fully recognize and appreciate 

their desire to be more involved in the remedial process. However, we do believe 

that clarification is needed of the provisions allowing victims or their representatives to meet in person with OSHA before the agency decides whether to issue a 

citation, or to appear before parties conducting settlement negotiations. This could 

be logistically difficult for victims and OSHA’s regional and area offices, resulting 

in delays in the negotiations and ultimate citation, which hurt the victim in the long 

run. 

The rights of workers who wish to contest OSHA citations are expanded under 

PAWA. For the first time employees would be able to contest citations and modifications regarding the characterization of the violation (i.e., serious, willful, or repeated) as well as the adequacy of the penalty. This would result in providing employees more of a voice in the enforcement process and would provide a right for 

employees equal to the contest rights of employers. 

One of the most significant changes to the OSH Act is the provision which requires abatement of serious, willful, and repeat hazards during the contest period. 

PAWA would enable OSHA to issue failure to abate notices to a workplace with a 

citation under contest. This provision would strengthen the right of workers to be 

protected from the most egregious workplace hazards. 

OSHA believes this protection is critical. Too often hazards remain uncorrected 

because of lengthy contest proceedings—periods that can last a decade or more. A 

recent OSHA analysis found that between FY 1999 and FY 2009, there were 33 contested cases that had a subsequent fatality at the same site prior to the issuance 

of a final order. For instance, in 2009 OSHA cited a Connecticut company, T Keefe 
14 

and Sons, after an employee fell to his death through an improperly guarded floor 

hole while working at a casino in Uncasville, Connecticut. The company contested 

the citation. Several months later another employee of that company fell through 

a similarly improperly guarded hole, and received permanent disabling injuries. 

Obtaining speedy abatement is one reason why OSHA settles cases. But we must 

ensure that neither contests nor lengthy settlement negotiations leave workers exposed to the hazards found during the initial inspection. The only situation worse 

than a worker being injured or killed on the job by a senseless and preventable hazard is having a second worker felled by the same hazard. 

This is not the first time that this issue has been before Congress. During hearings on comprehensive OSHA reform in the 102nd and 103rd Congresses, numerous 

examples were presented of employees being hurt or killed while an inspection was 

under contest. While those opposing this provision argued that employers would 

needlessly spend large sums on abatement for a citation that is later overturned, 

business representatives testified that even when there is a contest most employers 

abate hazards during the review process. 

GAO also has recommended that Congress require protection of workers during 

contests based on experience with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, which 

does not automatically stay abatement during litigation. Similarly, various environmental statutes also require that violations be corrected when they are identified. 

In weighing the balance between employee protection and employer contest rights, 

employee safety should take precedence. PAWA respects the rights of employers by 

allowing an appeal to OSHRC regarding the requirement to abate during contest. 

Under PAWA, for the first time, OSHA would be required by law to investigate 

all incidents resulting in death or the hospitalization of two or more employees. 

OSHA’s current enforcement policy is to investigate all fatalities and incidents resulting in the hospitalization of three or more workers. It should be noted, however, 

that ‘‘investigate’’ does not necessarily mean inspect, giving the agency discretion in 

using its enforcement resources most effectively. 

The provision requiring employers to take appropriate measures to prevent destruction or alteration of evidence in regard to such incidents would support OSHA’s 

compliance staff efforts in the conduct of investigations. 

The use of unclassified citations is prohibited by the bill. The agency has substantially reduced the use of these citations (in FY 09 OSHA issued 10 unclassified citations compared with 26 in FY 07). OSHA recognizes that unclassified citations may 

reduce the deterrent effect of its enforcement activities by removing the stigma of 

willful violations and undermining the potential for criminal prosecution. Nevertheless, the ability to use unclassified citations does increase our flexibility in certain 

rare situations, for example, in some cases where we may have trouble sustaining 

a willful citation in court, changing the willful citation to unclassified allows us to 

maintain the penalty. We hope to discuss this provision further with the committee. 

Madame Chair, I appreciate the thought and effort that has gone into the development of PAWA. I am reminded of the importance of your work by the compelling 

statement made by Becky Foster, the mother of a 19 year-old who was killed while 

working as a chipper attendant in the wood processing industry: 

These penalties will not give companies any incentive to create a safe workplace. 

It just seems so unfair to watch the news and see a story about a CEO or someone 

in a large company that does not follow some type of regulation regarding the books. 

They get fines of hundreds of thousands of dollars and have to fight in court to stay 

out of jail. What kind of system penalizes a company more for monetary issues than 

it does for taking the lives of hard working people? These fathers, sons, brothers, 

and uncles can never be replaced. Our lives have been changed forever. 

A fresh look at the OSH Act and its relevance for the 21st century is indeed overdue. The Administration supports both the goals of PAWA and many other specific 

provisions. We note that several sections of this Act would present significant budgetary and workload challenges for OSHA and OSHA’s support agencies at the Department of Labor, including the Solicitors’ office, as well as the Review Commission, which we will need to analyze fully. I look forward to working with you as this 

bill advances through the legislative process to perfect it and ensure that we address the crucial issues in precisely the right way. 

Thanks again for the opportunity to testify today. I am happy to answer your 

questions. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Thank you. 

Mr. Cruden? 
15 

STATEMENT OF JOHN CRUDEN, ACTING DEPUTY ATTORNEY 

GENERAL, ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 

Mr. CRUDEN. Thank you to the members of the subcommittee for 

holding this meeting. And thank you for inviting me to testify. I 

would also ask that my prepared testimony be made a part of the 

record. And I am going to summarize it. But I am focusing on what 

the Department of Justice does, which is criminal prosecution. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Without exception. 

Mr. CRUDEN. And I am going to highlight three parts of that testimony. 

First, I want to summarize our Worker Endangerment Initiative. 

I want to talk briefly about two cases which illustrate the disparity 

between the current penalties available under the OSH Act, and 

other statutes—and then highlight three specific areas which I 

think can be improved. 

In 2005, the environmental crimes section launched its Worker 

Endangerment Initiative to highlight the fact that we were finding 

that companies that were not taking care of the environment were 

also not taking care of their workers, often resulting in death or 

serious bodily injury. This initiative requires a coordinated effort 

with the Environmental Protection Agency, OSHA, and the Department of Justice. 

I am very proud to tell you right now our environmental crimes 

prosecutors have trained over 2,000 OSHA investigators, EPA investigators, Department of Labor solicitors, and assisting U.S. attorneys in how to find this type of crime. This collaboration, now, 

has resulted in some of the cases that I have laid out for you in 

my prepared testimony. But I want to highlight just two of those, 

because it makes the point that I will try to make later in my testimony. 

The first is the case of United States v. Allen Elias. Allen Elias 

was the owner of a fertilizer company in Idaho. And he ordered 

sludge workers into a tank to remove cyanide-laced sludge without 

telling them what was inside the tank or providing any protection 

for them. When one of the workers collapsed in the tank and was 

taken to the hospital, Elias lied about what had happened. And the 

20-year-old employee suffered permanent brain damage. But Elias 

could not have been prosecuted under the current OSHA statute 

because the worker did not die. Instead, he was prosecuted under 

one of the environmental hazardous waste statute and received 17 

years in prison. 

The second example involves United States v. Atlantic States 

Iron Pipe Company, which is a New Jersey division of the McWane 

Company. In that case, we argued to the jury that the company 

had systematically violated the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air 

Act for years by discharging pollutants into the Delaware River; 

carbon monoxide and other pollutants into the air. 

The company also ignored worker-safety laws and people were 

injured. Ultimately, the jury convicted Atlantic States and four of 

its managers for violations of the environmental statutes, making 

false statements, obstructing justice and defrauding in a conspiracy 

both OSHA and the EPA. Just last year, the court sentenced the 

managers to, collectively, over 12 years of prison. 
16 

With me today, just behind me, are two of our lead prosecutors 

who prosecuted that case—Deborah Harris and Andrew Goldsmith. 

It took 8 months. And they are also the individuals who have been 

leading our Worker Endangerment Initiative. And I am very proud 

of those two prosecutors. 

But while our prosecutors have successfully done Elias and Atlantic States, that was really more of the result of the environmental statutes and what we call ‘‘Title 18 Crimes.’’ Those are the 

crimes that apply to everywhere—lying, cheating and stealing. But 

they point out the disparity in three areas between the OSHA statute and those others that I have enumerated. 

First of all, as already been spoken to, the current statute is a 

misdemeanor limited to 6 months. And, by the way, you could get 

12 months if you kill two people, if there are successive prosecutions. But that is the only way, as opposed to our normal felony 

statutes, which have up to 15 years in prison. 

Second, there has to be a death in order to prosecute, which is 

totally different than other crimes. For instance, our environmental 

crimes may be based on a risk of death or serious bodily injury, or 

a knowing endangerment to human health and the environment. 

Third, unlike most federal crimes, OSHA requires a willful action 

by a defendant. Court cases describe that as a ‘‘bad purpose’’— 

again, significantly different to, then, the normal environmental 

standard of knowing actions. 

Effective criminal prosecution requires statutes that appropriately punish, they deter other conduct, and they level the economic playing field. Measured against that standard, the current 

OSHA criminal provisions are inadequate. 

I look forward to any questions that you might have regarding 

our experiences in these prosecutions. Thank you. 

[The statement of Mr. Cruden follows:] 

Prepared Statement of Hon. John C. Cruden, Deputy Assistant Attorney 

General, Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department 

of Justice 

Thank you, Chairwoman Woolsey, Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers, and Members of the Committee, for holding this hearing today and inviting me to testify. I 

am pleased to be testifying with David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for 

Occupational Safety and Health. 

My name is John C. Cruden. I am a Deputy Assistant Attorney General (DAAG) 

in the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) of the United States 

Department of Justice. I have served in that position since 1995. The Division’s mission is to enforce civil and criminal environmental laws to protect the health of our 

citizens and our environment, and to defend suits challenging environmental and 

conservation laws. We represent the United States in matters involving the Nation’s 

natural resources and public lands, wildlife protection, Indian rights and claims, 

and the acquisition of federal property. 

One of my responsibilities as DAAG is to supervise our Environmental Crimes 

Section (ECS). ECS attorneys prosecute criminal violations of the country’s environmental and wildlife Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). ECS attorneys usually 

work in tandem with Assistant U.S. Attorneys on environmental crimes cases in 

nearly every federal judicial district in the nation. ECS also conducts extensive 

training on environmental crimes and serves as a nationwide clearinghouse for environmental crimes information. 

ECS works closely with criminal investigators from many other federal government agencies on cases involving vessel pollution, violations of federal wildlife laws 

and smuggling, and interdiction. Specifically, ECS often works on its cases with the 

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the 

Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and 
17 

the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). ECS also initiates and 

participates in a number of environmental criminal enforcement task forces among 

federal, state and local agencies. 

My testimony today will describe our experience in prosecuting companies and 

their officials for illegal conduct which either resulted in a worker death or injury 

or knowingly put workers at risk of death or injury. According to the most recent 

statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of sixteen workers dies 

every day at job sites in the United States from workplace injuries. Every year, over 

four million workers suffer a recordable illness or injury at work. ECS launched its 

Worker Endangerment Initiative (the ‘Initiative’) in 2005 to highlight that environmental crimes frequently put our country’s workers at risk of death or serious bodily 

injury while they are on the job. The Initiative’s driving goal is to prosecute companies and company officials who systematically violate both federal environmental 

laws and worker safety laws. Since its advent, the Initiative has produced a number 

of significant While ECS has successfully prosecuted environmental crimes in which 

workers were injured or killed, that success is based more on the availability of 

strong enforcement provisions and deterrent value of federal environmental statutes, as well as provisions of Title 18 of the United States Code, rather than the 

criminal provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (‘‘OSH Act’’) of 1970 

(29 U.S.C. § 666). As set forth more fully in my testimony, the disparities between 

the OSH Act and environmental and Title 18 penalties is clear. For these reasons, 

the Department of Justice supports the strengthening of the OSH Act’s criminal 

penalties to make those penalties more consistent with other criminal statutes and 

further the goal of improving worker safety. 

Overview of the Worker Endangerment Initiative 

The Initiative is a coordinated effort between EPA, DOJ and OSHA to prosecute 

employers who commit environmental crimes that endanger employees. The Initiative has two core principles: (1) environmental crime can lead to worker injuries and 

death; and (2) employers who do not comply with environmental laws may also be 

ignoring or avoiding worker safety laws. The Initiative involves not only investigations and prosecutions of these cases, but also inter-agency training and docket review. 

One key component of the Initiative is to develop additional resources to identify 

and investigate environmental crimes by offenders whose conduct results in worker 

injuries or death. ECS attorneys travel throughout the country to provide government officials with criminal investigative and environmental training to identify indications of serious environmental crimes. ECS attorneys train OSHA compliance 

officers and senior managers, Department of Labor prosecutors have trained nearly 

two thousand government officials. 

Another component of the initiative involves a docket review. Docket review consists of federal prosecutors, EPA agents and OSHA compliance officers collectively 

discussing information about companies identified by OSHA as potential violators 

of environmental and worker safety laws. Government officials review information 

about companies to determine whether any of them merit further investigation and/ 

or prosecution. 

Criminal Provisions of Major Environmental Protection Statutes 

Most of the worker safety cases brought by ECS charge violations of the environmental protection laws and the general criminal provisions of Title 18 statutes. Before addressing the details of our cases, however, it is helpful to provide some background regarding the criminal provisions, including the mental state standards and 

available penalties, of the major environmental protection statutes and other criminal statutes we use in our cases. 

A. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act 

The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (‘RCRA’), 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901-6992, 

regulates hazardous waste ‘cradle to grave,’ that is, from its creation through its disposal. RCRA makes it illegal to store, treat or dispose of hazardous waste without 

a permit. 42 U.S.C. § 6928(d). RCRA also regulates the transportation of hazardous 

waste, establishing stringent requirements for documenting and labeling hazardous 

waste shipments. 

Many of our RCRA cases involve the illegal dumping of hazardous waste. For example, in U.S. v. Marchbanks, Case No. 2:07-CR-00099 (N.D. Miss.), Randy 

Marchbanks and two of his employees were convicted in 2008 of RCRA violations 

for dumping hazardous paint and unpermitted sites in northern Mississippi. RCRA 

also includes a ‘knowing endangerment’ felony provision which provides for a term 

of imprisonment of up to 15 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000 (for individuals) 

or $1,000,000 (for organizations). 42 U.S.C. § 6928(e) and (f). The provision applies 
18 

when a defendant’s mishandling of hazardous waste creates a serious risk to the 

health of others. 42 § 6928(e). Specifically, a defendant must knowingly transport, 

treat, store, dispose of, or export hazardous waste (the predicate offense), and at the 

time of the offense know that his or her conduct places another person in imminent 

danger of death or serious bodily injury. 42 § 6928(e) and (f). 

B. The Clean Water Act 

The Clean Water Act (‘CWA’), 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251-1387, makes it illegal to discharge any pollutant into a water of the United States from a point source without 

a permit, or to violate the terms of a permit that contains limits on discharges. 

CWA violations typically involve polluters that dump secretly (i.e., without a permit). An example of a defendant convicted and sentenced based on a CWA violation 

is Gordon Tollison who was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for intentionally 

discharging untreated and under-treated sewage into state waterways despite numerous administrative orders and repeated admonitions. United States v. Gordon 

Tollison, Case No. 3:04-CR-00158 (N.D.Miss.). Those who violate the criminal provisions of the CWA often face prison sentences. 

In addition to felony charges for knowing violations, the statute contains a ‘knowing endangerment’ provision for defendants whose violations under the Act create 

a serious risk of endangerment is up to fifteen years in prison and a fine of up to 

$250,000, or both. Id. The CWA incorporates a responsible corporate officer doctrine 

which makes company managers criminally liable for illegal conduct they knew 

about and could have prevented, but failed to prevent. See 33 U.S.C. § 1319(c)(3) 

& (6). 

C. The Clean Air Act 

The criminal provisions of the Clean Air Act (‘CAA’), 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401-7671, 

make it illegal to emit air pollutants in excess of permit limitations or without a 

permit. CAA regulations also govern the removal and handling of asbestos, an air 

pollutant which can cause fatal lung disease. ECS attorneys prosecute property 

owners and their contractors who operate illegally, often putting our workers and 

communities at risk. For example, in 2007 Branko Lazic was convicted of violating 

the CAA by improperly removing asbestos from an elementary school in Ambler, 

Pennsylvania. United States v. Branko Lazic, Case No. 2:07-CR-00324, (E.D.Pa.). 

Also, in United States v. Construction Personnel, Inc., Case Nos. 1:00-CR-529, 1:00- 

CR-143, 1:00-CR-405 (D. Colo.), the president, vice president, project manager and 

secretary of the company were convicted of several Title 18 offenses arising out of 

their use of unauthorized, untrained and unprotected aliens in asbestos abatements. 

The defendants induced unauthorized aliens to enter and remain in the United 

States to perform illegal abatements. These aliens were not properly trained or certified to perform the work. As part of its sentence, the corporation set up a fund 

in excess of $325,000 for use by the Department of Health and Human Services to 

track and treat employees exposed to asbestos. The individuals received sentences 

of up to 15 months’ incarceration and up to $7,500 in fines each. 42 U.S.C. § 

7413(c)(5). The CAA also creates a misdemeanor for negligent endangerment. Id. § 

7413(c)(4). The CAA holds corporate officials criminally liable if they had actual 

knowledge of the endangerment or if the defendant took affirmative steps to be 

shielded from relevant information. Id. § 7413(c)(5)(B). 

D. Other Relevant Statutes 

ECS’s authority is not limited to prosecution of crimes committed under federal 

environmental statutes. ECS attorneys also make extensive use of the general criminal provisions set out in Title 18 of the United States Code B those that prohibit 

the more conventional crimes of lying, cheating, and stealing. The Title 18 provisions utilized by ECS involve crimes such as making false statements, obstruction 

of justice, and conspiracy to defraud the United States by impeding the effective implementation of government regulatory programs. 

See 18 U.S.C. § 371 (conspiracy to defraud); 18 U.S.C. § 1001 (false statements); 

and 18 U.S.C. §§ 1505, 1512 and 1519 (obstruction of justice). 

ECS also has brought cases under the OSH Act’s criminal provisions (29 U.S.C. 

§ 666(e)). As discussed in more detail later in my testimony, the penalties under 

that statute are significantly different than the other statutes in that they provide 

only up to 6 months maximum imprisonment for a criminal violation and require 

a worker death. Serious worker injury is not sufficient conduct to result in even a 

misdemeanor violation. 

ENRD’s Prosecution Experience Involving Worker Endangerment 

Under the current criminal provisions of the OSH Act, ECS attorneys prosecuting 

worker safety incidents also examine post-injury or post-death acts of concealment 
19 

or deception through the potential punishment for either the environmental or Title 

18 crimes significantly exceeds the maximum penalty under the current OSH Act. 

A. Pre-Initiative Cases 

Prior to the Initiative, ECS often litigated environmental crimes which directly 

led to worker injuries or death. We found, however, that even in environmental 

cases that raise severe worker safety issues, there was a substantial disparity between the remedies available to us under our environmental laws and those available to OSHA. One of the most notable examples of the disparity between the criminal provisions of the OSH Act and the environmental laws was in the case of United 

States v. Allen Elias (1999), in the District of Idaho. The case garnered national attention and led to, at the time, the longest sentence in an environmental crimes 

case. Allen Elias, the owner of a fertilizer company, ordered employees to remove 

cyanide-laced sludge from the interior of a 25,000 gallon railroad car. He did so 

without telling the employees what was inside the tank, and without providing the 

personal protective equipment they requested. When one of the workers collapsed 

in the tank and was taken to the hospital, Elias lied about the contents of the tank 

to rescue workers at the scene and to the treating physician. Elias’s criminal conduct caused that twenty-year-old employee to suffer permanent brain damage. Despite the egregiousness of his conduct, however, Elias could not be prosecuted under 

the criminal provisions of the OSH Act for worker injuries, no matter how severe, 

because the OSH Act provides criminal penalties only for cases of death, and even 

then provides no more than six months of incarceration. In contrast, upon conviction 

for violations under RCRA’s knowing endangerment and hazardous waste storage 

and disposal provisions, as well as making false $6 million in restitution and clean 

up costs. 

Another notable case is United States. v. Hansen (1999), in the Southern District 

of Georgia, in which the defendants were the CEO, vice president and plant manager of Hansen, a chemical company that manufactured bleach, soda, gas, and acid. 

In Hansen, the defendants were charged and convicted under the CWA for knowingly endangering employees who often stood knee-deep in contaminated wastewater while working in the plant. Again, the OSH Act’s criminal provision provided 

no recourse because, fortunately, no employees were killed. Upon conviction under 

the CWA, the three defendants were sentenced to 108-month, 46-month, and 78- 

month prison terms. 

B. The OSH Act 

While ECS has had success in prosecuting environmental crimes which led to 

worker death or injuries, those cases were brought under environmental statutes 

and Title 18 rather than the OSH Act’s criminal provisions. The primary criminal 

provision of the OSH Act provides a misdemeanor: 

Any employer who willfully violates any standard, rule, or order promulgated pursuant to section 655 of this title, or of any regulations prescribed pursuant to this 

chapter, and that violation caused death to any employee, shall, upon conviction, be 

punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 

six months, or by both; except that if the conviction is for a violation committed 

after a first conviction of such person, punishment shall be by a fine of not more 

than $20,000 or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or by both. 29 U.S.C. 

§ 666(e). As compared to environmental statutes and Title 18 crimes, the primary 

criminal provision of the OSH Act (1) has a higher mental state requirement; (2) 

only applies in limited requires the death of an employee as a prerequisite. Thus, 

under the criminal provisions of the OSH Act, if a worker dies because of the willful 

act of his or her employer, that employer faces a maximum conviction for a misdemeanor and only up to six months in jail. In contrast, if that same employer 

knowingly endangers the health or safety of its employees or the community by violating the nation’s environmental protection laws, that employer may spend up to 

15 years in jail. 

While the worker endangerment initiative has been successful, that is largely the 

product of the application of environmental statutes. If a worker safety case does 

not involve the illegal handling of hazardous waste, or the unlawful release of hazardous pollutants into the air or illegal discharges of pollutants into waters of the 

United States, that case may not be prosecuted under the criminal environmental 

laws. 

As a practical matter, the misdemeanor violations in the OSH Act provide little 

incentive for prosecutors and other law enforcement personnel who must reserve 

their limited resources for those crimes that Congress has deemed most egregious 

by designating them as felonies. The relatively low monetary penalties currently 

available to OHSA mean that unscrupulous companies may view such violations as 
20 

an acceptable cost of doing business. Accordingly, the Department of Justice supports the strengthening of the OSH Act’s criminal penalties so that they are more 

consistent with other criminal statutes. 

C. Worker Endangerment Initiative Cases 

Although OSHA currently has limitations on the remedies available to it to address workplace safety issues, we have been able to address some of these issues 

indirectly through our environmental laws. The Initiative cases further demonstrate 

the principle that employers who do not comply with environmental laws may also 

be ignoring or avoiding worker safety laws. In prosecuting these cases, ECS has 

drawn upon the environmental statutes and Title 18 offenses, working with EPA 

and OSHA investigators. United States v. Motiva Enterprises (D. Del.) is an example of a case developed during the Initiative in which the prosecution was based 

solely on environmental violations. Motiva Enterprises LLP is the fifth largest oil 

refiner in the United States. On July 17, 2001, a 415,000 gallon tank containing 

spent sulfuric acid exploded at Motiva’s Delaware City Refinery. The explosion 

killed one worker, injured numerous others, and resulted in a spill to the Delaware 

River that killed nearly 3,000 fish and crabs. In 2005, Motiva pleaded guilty to negligent endangerment of its workers under the CAA and to a knowing discharge 

under the CWA. Motiva was sentenced to pay a fine of $10 million and to serve 3 

years’ probation. 

ECS’s worker endangerment initiative gained significant attention in its prosecution of McWane, Inc. (McWane). McWane is a large, privately-held cast iron pipe 

manufacturer with facilities across the nation. In January 2003, the New York 

Times and PBS’s Frontline featured stories on the many deaths, injuries, and environmental violations occurring in McWane facilities nationwide. After investigation, 

ECS filed indictments against five divisions of McWane: McWane Cast Iron Pipe 

Inc. in Birmingham, Alabama; Union Pipe and Foundry in Anniston, Alabama; 

Tyler Pipe Company in Tyler, Texas; Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company, Provo, 

Utah; and Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Co. in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. These 

prosecutions involved charges of both environmental statutes and Title 18 crimes. 

The most notable of the McWane cases involved the Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe 

Co., and CAA by discharging petroleum waste products from its facility directly into 

the Delaware River, and carbon monoxide and other pollutants into the air. Moreover, the company systematically ignored worker safety laws and impeded OSHA in 

its efforts to ensure compliance with the OSH Act and to investigate accidents. 

Worker injuries presented in the indictment included a death from being crushed 

by a forklift, the loss of an eye and a crushed skull from removal of a saw blade 

guard, finger amputations caused by by-pass of cement mixer safety devices, and 

second and third degree burns caused by negligence and left untreated. In 2003, the 

grand jury returned a multi-count indictment against the company and five of its 

managers, alleging conspiracy to defraud OSHA and the EPA, false statement and 

obstruction of justice counts, and violations of the CWA and CAA. During an eight 

month trial from September 2005 to April 2006, the government called 50 witnesses 

including OSHA safety inspectors and industrial hygienists who had been repeatedly thwarted in their attempts to inspect and regulate Atlantic States. Atlantic 

States was convicted on 32 of the 33 counts on which the jury reached a verdict. 

Four of the managers were also convicted of conspiracy and various related offenses. 

After extensive, post-verdict litigation, the court in 2009 sentenced the managers 

to 70, 41, 30, and 6 months’ imprisonment. The company was placed on four years’ 

monitored probation and ordered to pay an $8 million fine. The terms of the probation require the company to submit biannual compliance reports to the court and 

pay for a court-appointed monitor. The case is currently on appeal to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Shortly after the jury returned its guilty verdicts in Atlantic States, OSHA asked 

ECS to BP’s Texas City plant that killed fifteen people. The explosion occurred 

when hydrocarbon vapor and liquid improperly released to the open air reached an 

ignition source. As a result of the joint efforts of ECS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office 

in Houston, the company pleaded guilty to a criminal violation of the Clean Air Act’s 

General Duty Clause, 42 U.S.C. § 7412(r)(7), and paid a record $50 million fine. 

This was the first criminal prosecution under this section of the CAA. 

Under the worker endangerment initiative, ECS litigated two cases which charged 

violations of the OSH Act. The first was another prosecution of McWane involving 

a worker death at its Union Foundry plant in Alabama, and the second was the 

prosecution of Tyson Foods involving a worker death at its River Valley Animal 

Foods plant in Arkansas. 

In United States v. Union Foundry Co. (N.D. Ala.), this division of McWane pleaded guilty in 2005 to both RCRA and OSH Act violations that led to the death of 
21 

an employee. The Union Foundry facility in Anniston, Alabama, manufactures iron 

pipe fittings (elbows, flanges, etc.) for industry. Among the many environmental violations at the facility, the company illegally stored and treated particulate matter, 

carbon monoxide, and lead from its baghouse, a pollution control device, without a 

permit. Additionally, from March 17, 2000, until August 22, 2000, Union Foundry 

allowed employees to work on a conveyor belt that did not have the required safety 

guard. As a result, employee Reginald Elston was caught in a pulley and crushed 

to death. 

Union Foundry was sentenced to pay a $3.5 million fine and serve a three-year 

term of probation. In addition, the company was ordered to propose a community 

service project valued. In our case against Tyson Foods, Inc., the company was convicted of violations that led to the death of an employee. Tyson’s River Valley plants 

recycled poultry products into protein and fats for the animal food industry. Employees at the Tyson facilities often were exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas, a toxic gas 

produced by decaying feathers, when working on or near feather processors. In 

March 2002, a Tyson employee was hospitalized with hydrogen sulfide poisoning 

caused by exposure to the gas while performing maintenance on one of these feather 

processors. 

As of October 2003, despite the fact that corporate safety and regional management were aware that hydrogen sulfide gas was present in the River Valley facilities, Tyson Foods did not take sufficient steps to implement controls or protective 

equipment to reduce exposure within prescribed limits or provide effective training 

to employees on hydrogen sulfide gas at the Texarkana facility. On October 10, 

2003, River Valley maintenance employee Jason Kelley was overcome with hydrogen 

sulfide gas while repairing a leak from the same feather processor involved in the 

March 2002 incident. Mr. Kelley later died from his injuries. Another employee and 

two emergency responders were hospitalized due to exposure while attempting to 

rescue Kelley and two additional employees were treated at the scene. The company 

was sentenced to pay the maximum fine of $500,000 and serve a term of probation 

for willfully violating worker safety regulations that led to Mr. Kelley’s death. 

D. Conclusion 

A strong criminal enforcement program serves several purposes. First, it levels 

the economic playing field for law-abiding companies that often devote significant 

resources to compliance with worker safety and environmental laws. While most 

companies in the United States comply with these laws, such companies will find 

themselves at a competitive disadvantage against those companies that disobey 

these laws and consequently have lower costs because they choose not to devote financial resources to compliance. 

Second, a strong criminal enforcement program strengthens administrative and 

civil enforcement programs. An aggressive criminal enforcement program makes 

civil and administrative enforcement efforts more effective. A comprehensive enforcement program provides an important deterrent to illegal activity, safeguards 

the nation’s work force, and enforces the law. 

In sum, adding felony provisions to the OSH Act, as proposed, would provide important tools to prosecute those employers who expose their workers to the risk of 

death or serious injury, whether charged in conjunction with environmental crimes 

or charged alone. The Department of Justice supports the strengthening of OSHA’s 

criminal penalties to make it more consistent with other criminal statutes and further the goal of improving worker safety. 

Thank you for the opportunity to share the experiences of ENRD with the subcommittee. I look forward to answering any questions you may have. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Thank you very much. 

I would like to say that my ranking member had an emergency 

this morning, and she will be here in a bit. Congressman Kline 

came to fill in. And he can’t stay, but Mrs. McMorris Rodgers—she 

will be here very soon. And she intended to be here all along. 

So thank you very much, both of you. 

First of all, our PAWA legislation, if its proposed changes seems 

to be a good fit for bringing OSHA into the 21st century. And that 

is—feels very good to us. I have some questions. 

Mr. Cruden, on the next panels, the gentleman that represents 

the Chamber of Commerce is going to tell us that using ‘‘knowing’’ 
22 

versus ‘‘willing’’—‘‘willful’’ just is not the way to go, because we 

don’t know the definition of ‘‘knowing.’’ And, to me, the definition 

of ‘‘knowing’’ is illegally conducting business when you know about 

what—dangers that could have been prevented, but failed to prevent them. 

Would you tell us what ‘‘knowing’’ means to the Department of 

Justice? 

Mr. CRUDEN. Let me say two things about those. And—I realize 

we are talking about mental state, which is what prosecutors argue 

to juries all the time. But it is not words that we normally use. 

First of all, the normal standard—the cases that we are most familiar with, and there is an entire body of law—many cases—is 

really on the ‘‘knowing’’ standard. The ‘‘willful’’ standard is actually 

somewhat unusual. 

I am going to just tell you briefly what the leading Supreme 

Court decision on that—which is a case called Bryan v. United 

States. I have that decision with me. I would ask that it be made 

a matter of the record as well—— 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Without objection. 

[The information follows:] 
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Mr. CRUDEN [continuing]. Because the Supreme Court says, as a 

general matter, when you use, in the criminal context, a ‘‘willful’’ 

act, it is really one undertaken for a bad purpose. In other words, 

in order to establish a willful violation, the government must prove 

that the defendant acted with knowledge that his conduct was unlawful. 

That is different than the ‘‘knowing’’ standard, and the court 

says that. The ‘‘knowing’’ standard—you don’t have to prove a reference to a culpable state of mind or a knowledge of the law. And, 

therefore, even though it is a standard that fundamentally says— 

in the ‘‘knowing’’—you know what you are doing at the time that 

you do it—it is not an accident, it is not a mistake—that is a standard that is most other laws. The willful standard is just higher. 

But it is elaborated in more detail in the Supreme Court case that 

I mentioned. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. And ‘‘knowing’’ is used with RCRA and 

the Water Act and Air? 

Mr. CRUDEN. In the Clean Water Act and the Resource Conservation Recovery Act and the Clean Air Act—all of those used ‘‘knowing’’ and ‘‘knowing endangerment’’ as the prerequisites for criminal 

activity. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Okay. Thank you. 

Mr. CRUDEN. Dr. Michaels, OSHA, you say, is considering, and 

is revising, its penalty policy. So why isn’t that enough? I mean, 

what changes are forthcoming under that policy? And why won’t 

that be adequate to compel many employers to abate serious hazards? 

Mr. MICHAELS. Chairwoman Woolsey, members of the committee, 

what OSHA does now is we have a penalty structure that is set 

first, by law. In the OSH Act, we are allowed maximum penalty for 

$7,000 for a serious violation. But, then, we have all sorts of considerations within that. We can’t go above $7,000, and we generally 

start at a slightly lower point. And, then, we reduce it for the size 

of the employer. And we always give small employers a reduction. 

We look at good faith—if an employer was trying to do the right 

thing. We look at their history. There are a number of factors we 

look at. And so what that means is the average penalty is quite a 

bit lower than the maximum we are allowed. And we think that 

is important. And, actually, the OSH Act requires that we put 

those considerations in. 

What that means, though, as a result, is even in the most egregious case—and we have had fatalities—which, we think it is very 

important to issue a strong penalty to issue a—have a deterrent effect—we have a fatality, and our maximum penalty is $7,000. We 

think that is simply unacceptable. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. So, a question to both of you: The Clean 

Water Act and RCRA and the Clean Air Act—they are all newer 

than OSH Act, right? 

Mr. CRUDEN. Yes. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Is that why they were more, you know, 

forthcoming and—as—I mean, it appears that our love for fish and 

birds is way stronger than our value and love for human beings 

and our workers. But that can’t be true. So—— 
38 

Mr. MICHAELS. I can’t speak to Congress’ rationale for putting 

this together, but it is obvious to me, when the maximum penalty 

for violating the South Pacific Tuna Act is $250,000, but the maximum penalty for a serious violation of the OSH Act is $7,000— 

that sort of inequity is what we are dealing with. And we believe 

it should be changed. 

Mr. CRUDEN. And let me draw your attention—I have been talking about environmental crimes. But we also prosecute Title 18 

crimes of the United States of code. These are for lying, cheating 

or stealing. And they include misrepresentation. There is a provision of the OSHA statute of misrepresentation that limits it to 6 

months. On the other hand, if you prosecute under our normal 

Clean Air Act, it would be 2 years. Under 18 USC 1001, it is 5 

years. So there is a disparity as opposed to other statutes beyond 

environmental crimes. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Right. Thank you very much. 

Congressman Sablan? 

Mr. SABLAN. Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, and 

thank you for your leadership in this very important matter. 

I don’t have a question. I actually have a compliment for OSHA 

for making a lot of the work environment in the Northern Mariana 

Islands a safe place—a much safer place. We do still need to get 

more involved in these issues. And I am very happy that we are 

trying to increase the penalties, and probably give the Department 

of Justice more tools in which to work with. 

Thank you very much. 

Thank you. 

Mr. MICHAELS. Thank you, sir. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. No questions? 

Mr. SABLAN. No questions. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Oh. Thank you very much. 

Congressman Hare? 

Mr. HARE. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thanks for having this 

hearing this morning. 

Dr. Michaels, I want to welcome you to the committee, and I am 

pleased that you were finally confirmed by the Senate. It is no 

short—that is some sort of a miracle sometimes, there. 

Your appearance here, today, is a homecoming, as I understand. 

You had worked for the committee staff for—17 years ago, when 

Bill Ford was the chairman. So I want to welcome you back. 

I just have a couple questions I want to ask. To clear up the 

record—because the second panel, you probably won’t have a 

chance to respond. Dr. Michaels, is one of the biggest weaknesses 

in the OSH Act’s current penalty the lack of a meaningful deterrent for senior corporate officials who are responsible for things? 

And let me just—you know, we saw, for example, at BP, the executives in London repeatedly cut the budget for process safety at 

its U.S. refineries. And, despite warnings and safety—the safety 

was in peril—and we found, by the Chemical Safety Board, to be 

a root cause of that explosion, which killed 15 and injured 170. So 

I would just like to get your take on that, if you wouldn’t mind. 

Mr. MICHAELS. Yes, this administration agrees with the provision 

of PAWA that says that we hold responsible—corporate executives 

responsible—because they make decisions that affect workers’ lives. 
39 

There is no question that, you know, as we look at the deterrent 

effect, we know that the provisions have to go beyond simply, you 

know, a relatively small fine and a misdemeanor. 

And we believe in the lessons—we believe the lessons from many 

other successful legislation is to determine exactly who, at the corporate level, is able to make those changes that we need to be 

made. And that really goes to the very high corporate officials. 

Mr. HARE. Well, if I could, Mr. Secretary, I would like to ask you 

and Mr. Cruden that—you are going to hear some—we are going 

to hear some testimony, as I understand it, that because of this 

provision provided for criminal liability for corporate officers—results in a witch hunt. 

Would you concur with that this is going on some sort of a witch 

hunt when we go after the CEOs of these companies that—— 

Mr. CRUDEN. No, there will be no witch hunt. What there would 

be, though, is more effective deterrents. 

Our prosecution is not just for punishment. We are hoping that 

everybody else who is similarly situated learns of that and decides 

that they won’t do it. And there is another aspect I think people 

lose sometimes, that OSHA accomplishes, and I think that the Department of Justice does, too—and that is to level the economic 

playing field. 

We know that most companies are trying to comply with the law. 

But those companies who don’t spend the money to train, who don’t 

get the extra equipment—they are actually getting a competitive 

advantage against those companies that are complying with the 

law. 

So one of the things that we accomplish in these prosecutions is 

actually to protect those small businesses who are doing their absolute best to meet all the standards of the law that exist. 

Mr. HARE. And I would agree with you, because I believe that 

the vast majority of corporations and companies want to do the 

best that they can for their employees. 

Mr. CRUDEN. We agree. 

Mr. HARE. But we have instances—and I have seen this at the— 

hearing after hearing, here—where some—you know, a small percent—believe it is just better to pay the fine and keep, you know, 

practicing as usual. And that is got to stop. And I think that when 

we find that—I think those penalties got to be, you know, severe, 

because what is happening is everybody, then, gets pulled into this 

thing that they are all alike, which is simply not the case. 

And, just lastly, as a point—you know, I didn’t bring my handdrawn chart this morning, but I had some people in my office about 

2 months ago, and they brought out this chart. And they were complaining about what you guys are doing. And they were saying, 

‘‘Look at these number of inspections. They are going up.’’ And I 

am going, ‘‘Yes?’’ And, at the same time, their charts showed the 

amount of accidents going down. 

So when they left, I looked over, I think, at Kevin—and I said 

to my legislative director—and said, ‘‘I think they just made the 

case for me, here.’’ 

And I think that it is important that, you know, people have an 

opportunity—I worked in a clothing factory for 13 years. We had 

two OSHA inspections. They lasted a total—the first one lasted a 
40 

total of 21⁄2 minutes. And the second one, they went way out, and 

they were there for about 7. So I appreciate what you do every day. 

And I thank you. 

I yield back. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Congressman Bishop? 

Mr. BISHOP. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for holding this hearing—and my appreciation to the witnesses. 

Last April, I introduced a bill, H.R. 2199. It is called the Protecting Workers from Imminent Dangers Act of 2009. And, if 

passed, it would give OSHA the authority to immediately shut 

down a work site in the event of imminent danger to workers’ 

health or safety. 

As I understand it, that is authority that MSHA currently has— 

currently has its authority—that the New York City version of 

OSHA has. And so my question, A—and this is to the Secretary Michaels—has OSHA ever considered implementing such authority? 

If such authority were to be legislatively granted, how would OSHA 

respond to that? 

Mr. MICHAELS. Congressman Bishop, I am familiar with your 

bill. 

You know, this administration doesn’t yet have a position, 

though we do look at this issue as a very serious one. 

As you know, we do not have the authority to shut down a job. 

The Mine Safety Health Administration’s authority is a phone call. 

If they get a report that a certain condition exists, they get on the 

phone. They can call the mine operator. And the job must be shut 

down, even before the inspector gets there. And OSHA has nothing 

at all comparable to that. And we would look forward to working 

very closely with you to look at this bill, and to make sure, you 

know—well, we would look forward to working very closely with 

you on this bill. 

Mr. BISHOP. I would hope we would get some bipartisan support 

on this. I was interested to hear Representative Kline, in his opening comments, talk about the value of being proactive and preventing injuries before they occur, as opposed to punishing employers when injuries do occur. So I would hope we would get some bipartisan support. 

Could you, Secretary Michaels, just sort of walk us through current OSHA procedures when a worksite shows evidence of imminent danger to the workers? 

Mr. MICHAELS. Our inspector—you know, I think, actually—Actually, Rich Fairfax, here—he is our—the chief of enforcement is 

here. And if he could join me up here, he can probably address this 

much more clearly than I can. 

Mr. FAIRFAX. Thank you. 

When our inspectors are on-site, and they run into an imminent 

danger or we receive a call, and we investigate—the first thing we 

do is raise the issue with the employer and ask them to fix it immediately. If they decline or don’t take any action, then we do— 

what we do is we will post what is called an imminent-danger notice, and we contact—or, you know, make contacts with the workers and ask them to move away from the area. 
41 

So we post an imminent-danger notice and if that still doesn’t 

work, then we go back with our attorneys and we seek a temporary 

restraining order against the—— 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Will the gentleman yield 1 minute? 

Would you please state your name for the record? 

Mr. FAIRFAX. Oh, I am sorry—Richard Fairfax. I am the director 

of enforcement programs for OSHA. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Thank you very much. 

Mr. BISHOP. If I may, Madam Chair—could you estimate the sort 

of elapsed time from the time that OSHA first becomes aware of 

what reasonable people would consider to be an imminent danger, 

to the point where you would seek a court order to shut down a 

workplace? 

Mr. FAIRFAX. Actually, I accomplish it in about an hour—maybe 

11⁄2. 

Mr. BISHOP. Really? 

Mr. FAIRFAX. Yes. 

Mr. BISHOP. Okay. 

Mr. FAIRFAX. You know that is just if everything is perfect, and 

we can get hold of the judge and everything. 

Mr. BISHOP. And when things aren’t perfect? 

Mr. FAIRFAX. Then it takes 2 or 3 hours. 

Mr. BISHOP. Really? 

Mr. FAIRFAX. Yes. 

Mr. BISHOP. But you can get it done in a day? 

Mr. FAIRFAX. We take this very, very seriously. 

Mr. BISHOP. Okay. 

Mr. FAIRFAX. When we have information, you know, pointing to 

that, then we respond and work with our attorneys and get a judge 

right away. 

Mr. BISHOP. Thank you very much. 

Madam Chair, I yield back. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Thank you. 

Congressman Payne? 

Mr. PAYNE. Thank you very much. 

I have been somewhat troubled in the last decade or so, where 

we have seen the number of the workplace seem to become more 

hazardous. We have seen deaths from employers—employees—especially around the New York, New Jersey area—jobs like construction workers, faulty equipment, the—and so I might just ask 

both of you, in general: Have you, during, say, the past eight or 10 

years, seemed to get a feeling that there has been a relaxation, or 

either a lack of serious concern on the part of the employer about 

occupational safety? 

For example, I am mentioning primarily the construction trade 

in New York, where just the other day, I think it was determined 

that, knowingly, some equipment was faulty, but the firm went forward with it. I just wondered what your opinion is—both of you. 

Mr. MICHAELS. I think that is an interesting question. 

I can’t speak to the construction industry in New York. My impression from looking at, at least, some of the statistics, which I 

think are very limited, is that there is really a bifurcation—that 

there are some employers who recognize the importance of safety, 
42 

and they are doing a better and better job, and their injury rates 

really are going down, and the hazards we see are going down. 

On the other hand, there are a lot of employers who have decided 

that they don’t need to do that at all. And some of them are employers who hire immigrant workers who don’t speak English, who 

are willing to cut corners, and who knows that they are not going 

to pay any of the costs of workplace injuries because these employees will never apply for workers’ compensation, or they rarely will, 

and they will disappear. 

And that is my impression. One of the problems we are facing 

is I think our statistics aren’t very good. And, you know, we have— 

we see the numbers going down. But I think the—I am the statistician. I have some interest in this question from a professional level. 

And there has been some recent studies—and I have these—I 

would like to add them to record—showing that the Bureau of 

Labor Statistics—reports we get from employers are incomplete. 

In fact, there was a study recently done on amputations in Michigan industry. Now, amputations are something that is pretty clear. 

When they happen in the workplace, we know that they have occurred. And the Bureau of Labor Statistics got reports from—this 

is 2007—of less than 200. When Michigan state went to hospitals 

in Michigan and found how many amputations really occurred in 

workplaces that year, it was almost 800. So they missed three out 

of four. 

So we don’t really know what is—from a statistical point of view, 

we don’t really know what is going on. But we see that certain industries—things are pretty bad. And other ones, they are getting 

much better. So we have to focus on those places where the employers really are not taking their responsibility seriously, and 

workers are getting hurt. And they tend to be the workers that— 

who are also—already the poorest and have the least understanding of what their rights are. 

Mr. CRUDEN. Your question is almost precisely the reason why 

we initiated the Worker Endangerment Initiative at the Department of Justice, and reached out to OSHA and EPA—because, 

again, our finding that companies that were violating environmental laws were cutting corners in protecting their own workers. 

And those things seem to go in tandem. And those cases that I 

was describing—all of those cases meet exactly what you are talking about, and that is individuals who are, in fact, going through 

series—not just one or two—but series of turning their eye toward 

what is, in fact, serious risks to workers. And those serious risks 

ought to be something that we can address with our criminal statutes, and not just death. And our prosecutions actually prevent 

those companies from just passing along to the consumers the cost 

of doing business. 

And so, again, I think what you have captured is, again, exactly 

the reason we started our Worker Endangerment Initiative. 

Mr. PAYNE. I have a question regarding the safety. 

We recently went to a coal mine—Chairman took some—a trip 

to a coal mine in West Virginia. And the leadership of the mine 

said that the big difference that they saw—not the leadership of 

the mine, but some of the federal officials were saying that the 

training component that is a part of the—I see a red light flashing. 
43 

I saw it go on, but I know they keep flashing, so I can’t stop in 

the middle of this statement, but let me—— 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. We are not going to. Go ahead, Mr. 

Payne. 

Mr. PAYNE. Could you give me a second? 

They said that the time that is taken for training of the coal miners’ safety procedures—which, of course, takes time out of the 

workday because you are doing it, and it is sort of a—maybe a little 

production loss—but it is very important. Do you feel that the conscientious—as you mentioned, a conscientious, you know, person— 

does this kind of thing even as a negative to the bottom line, but 

the overall safety of the worker is preserved? 

Mr. MICHAELS. There is no question that the responsible employers who take safety and health seriously include training—a training component as part of their management system—these are employers who understand that safety and health is a continuous 

process, and that part of that is making sure workers know how 

to protect themselves, and who is responsible for safety in the 

workplace, and how to work with—how to work together to make 

sure safety is accomplished. 

Those employers that do no training at all, certainly, are ones 

that we think are much more likely to be places where the injury 

rates are higher. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. If there is no objection, I would like to 

include the studies that Dr. Michaels was referring to, into the 

record. 

[The information follows:] 
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[Additional submission from Mr. Michaels, ‘‘Work Related Amputation in Michigan, 2007,’’ may be accessed at the following Internet address:] 

http://www.oem.msu.edu/userfiles/file/Annual%20Reports/Amputations/ 

2007%20MI%20WR%20amputations.pdf 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Now, we have a guest of—Congresswoman Titus from Nevada is here. She is a member of the Education and Labor Committee. And this is an issue of great interest 

to her. So I would like to recognize her for 5 minutes. 
53 

Ms. TITUS. Thank you very much, Madam Chairman, for allowing me to join this very important subcommittee hearing. 

The Protecting American Workers Act proposes to update both 

the civil and criminal penalties under the 1970 OSHA. So the penalties will function as an effective deterrent, and hold those responsible for unsafe working conditions accountable. 

As you well know, my home state of Nevada is one of 22 states 

that has developed its own independent program. Now, these state 

programs are required by law to be at least as effective as the federal standards. And, yet, Title Four of the Protecting America 

Work Act recognizes the fact that changes to OSHA don’t automatically apply to the states with an approved state plan. 

The bill instructs these states to change their plans to conform 

with the federal law. But the question is: What if a state chooses 

not to comply? Issues of state non-compliance have recently been 

brought to light in Nevada. And what is very clear from the recent 

OSHA special review of Nevada’s program is that we have not been 

doing a good job of enforcing those standards in the state. 

Yet, under current law, federal OSHA has only two options to 

make Nevada comply and protect its workers. One is to ask nicely. 

And the other is to take the much more drastic action and take 

over the state plan. Now, this is an extreme step that removes the 

state’s control, leaves state and local government employees unprotected, and adds cost to the federal government for funding and 

running the state plan. 

That is why, this morning, with the help of the chairwoman, I 

introduced legislation called Ensuring Worker Safety Act. And it 

would provide workers with safety standards and more effective enforcement, but also would allow the states to still play an important role, and protect states’ rights. And it would do this by giving 

OSHA some options other than just the two extremes. 

It would establish a formal mechanism for identifying a problem 

with a state plan, and compel a remedy, without beginning the 

process of withdrawing approval. 

Now, I would like to ask you if such concurrent enforcement 

would be a good tool for OSHA so that you don’t have to take one 

of the two extreme steps, and would allow states to remedy the 

problem, but give you some control during that period; and would 

also put some timelines in place so they can’t drag this process out 

forever? 

So I would ask that to the—Secretary Michaels. And, then, I 

would ask you, Mr. Cruden, if you would talk about how concurrent 

enforcement has been effective in dealing with environmental law. 

Mr. MICHAELS. Congresswoman Titus, first, thank you for your 

work examining the effectiveness of state plans, and, particularly, 

the Nevada plan. 

Too many Nevadans have died needlessly in workplaces because 

of—and I think the inadequacies of OSHA regulation have posed 

a difficult challenge there, and are—really need to be addressed. 

And our audit there has determined some very significant problems. And we are now looking at other states as well. And I think, 

with your help, we have really begun to take on this issue. And it 

is a very important one. 
54 

I haven’t seen your legislation. I had heard it was coming. We 

certainly need tools to—you have summarized the problem very 

clearly. We have the death penalty available. We could take over 

a state plan, or we could ask very nicely. But we don’t have anything in between. 

And for us to have effective oversight of state plans, we need additional tools. And so I think anything that helps us get there will 

be very welcome. And I look forward to working with you on this. 

Ms. TITUS. Thank you. 

Mr. CRUDEN. In environmental law, we actually have a long history of working with states, because they are an integral part of 

what we try to accomplish in this notion that we refer to as ‘‘Cooperative Federalism,’’ where states actually, in environmental prosecution, bring most of the cases—civilly, certainly—but there is, in 

fact, a place for federal actions, and, then, at the very top of those, 

federal criminal actions. 

But in the United States today, most of the—your environmental 

prosecutions are done by state and local governments, which I actually think is the right way to do it. But there has to be a check 

and balance. There has to be a way that we are assuring that those 

prosecutions are consistent across the country, and meet the minimum standards that I believe you are advocating. 

Ms. TITUS. Thank you. 

And thank you, Madam Chairman. And I look forward to working on this legislation with your guidance, and with help from 

OSHA, as we move forward. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Oh, thank you, Congresswoman, for 

being here. 

Thank you, panel one. You have helped us a lot. You have filled 

in a lot of the questions. And we will go forward from here. And 

the next step forward is panel two. Thank you. 

Look who is here. 

We have been joined by our ranking member, Congresswoman 

McMorris Rodgers. 

I gave your apologies. 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. Thank you. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. I told them it was beyond your control, 

which—if we could have put this off, we would have. 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. Yes. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. That was beyond our control. 

So now I would like to introduce our second panel of very distinguished witnesses. 

First, in this order of presentation—Mr. Eric Frumin serves as 

the health and safety coordinator for Change to Win. Eric serves 

as chair of the Labor Advisory Committee on OSHA Statistics to 

the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics from 1983 to 2003. He received 

his B.A. from the State University of New York in 1979, and his 

master’s degree from New York University in 1981. 

Next, Mr. Jonathan Snare is a partner in Morgan Lewis’ Labor 

and Employment Practice. Mr. Snare’s practice focuses on labor-related issues, including occupational safety and health, mine safety 

and health, and whistleblower cases. 

He received his J.D. from Washington and Lee University School 

of Law and his B.A. from the University of Virginia. 
55 

And I think you heard me say that the—we do have a lighting 

system here. The green light goes on when you start speaking. And 

by the time it gets to yellow, if you are wrapping up, you know you 

will get finished. 

Thank you. 

We will start with you, Mr. Frumin. 

STATEMENT OF ERIC FRUMIN, HEALTH AND SAFETY 

COORDINATOR, CHANGE TO WIN 

Mr. FRUMIN. Thank you, Chairman Woolsey, Ranking Member 

McMorris Rodgers, and members of the subcommittee, for the opportunity to testify today. 

I am Eric Frumin, Health and Safety Coordinator for Change to 

Win. I have worked in this field for 36 years. 

We greatly appreciate the leadership of Chairman Miller, Ms. 

Woolsey, the subcommittee, for holding this hearing, and for your 

determined interest in the serious problems confronting workers, 

ethical employers, OSHA and others concerned with the severe 

gaps in OSHA’s enforcement, including, specifically, the question of 

outdated penalties. 

These shortcomings endanger workers’ lives, and Congress has 

the power to close the gaps and strengthen the protections that 

workers deserve. We strongly support the Protecting America’s 

Workers Act. We also support the other changes that we now understand the committee is considering, to further improve the bill. 

And I would note that the AFL-CIO has submitted a statement 

of support as well. 

First, let us recognize that the OSH Act has made a substantial 

difference for workers and employers. But 40 years on, the— 

OSHA’s enforcement program is too weak in many respects. 

OSHA’s ability to effectively conduct enforcement programs has 

been diminished. And even with the important additional resources 

which President Obama and Secretary Solis have added, the number of inspectors has still not kept pace with the growth of the 

workforce. 

Many of the deficiencies in enforcement rest with the act itself, 

and must be addressed through congressional action. The maximum and minimum penalties are too small to deter misconduct, 

particularly in comparison with environmental and other safety 

laws. 

OSHA continues to find and cite repeated violations where employers don’t even fix the violations for which OSHA had cited 

them before. Why should negligent managers feel free in such—to 

engage in such negligence in the first place? Stronger sanctions are 

clearly necessary to make them fix these dangerous conditions the 

first time, without waiting for workers to suffer injury. 

And the problem of recidivist behavior is not limited to smaller 

employers. Major employers, like BP, have just paid tens of millions of dollars for failing to keep their promises to their employees, 

their shareholders, and their communities, not to mention, OSHA. 

In 2005, the Cintas—OSHA cited the Cintas Corporation a $2,000 penalty for failing to guard machinery which was very dangerous, and which was the subject of a very—near-fatal incident a 

year before. Shortly thereafter, Eleazar Torres Gomes died at a 
56 

Cintas plant in Oklahoma. And another Cintas employee from Yakima, Washington—Mrs. McMorris Rodgers—close to your district— 

was very severely injured at the same—around the same time. 

After multiple worker complaints, OSHA inspections, and a $3 

million penalty, Cintas finally agreed to fix the same hazards in 

106 locations in 36 states around the country. It should not have 

required his death in order for Cintas to accept its responsibilities 

to its employees, and fix those problems, after being cited the first 

time, especially when they knew how serious that problem was. 

The current penalties are much too low. The message to employers and workers in their communities, and shareholders, is pretty 

clear: Workers’ lives don’t mean much, and corporate executives 

have little to fear from the secretary of labor, under current law. 

In other cases, large companies like Xcel Energy, Incorporated 

hire others to do hazardous work because they know the work is 

dangerous. For instance, Xcel recently allowed a very disreputable 

contractor with a history of OSHA violations to work in a very dangerous situation. And it led to an incident where five employees 

died. Under the current OSHA statute, huge companies like Xcel, 

who hire these disreputable contractors, are exempt from liability. 

And this is the indictment that the U.S. attorney secured against 

Xcel. And in this case, they did it for—they indicted Xcel for aiding 

and abetting that contractor. I would like to have this entered into 

the record. 

But the corporate executives at—— 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Without objection. 

[The information follows:] 
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Mr. FRUMIN. Thank you. 

The corporate executives at Xcel fear no more than the ones at 

Cintas do that they will lose their freedom. They are not subject 

to the penalties—to the criminal sanctions under the current regime. 

It is time to fix these disparities once and for all, between the 

OSH Act and the environmental statutes. And we need to address 

the state-plan problems as well. The recent problems that—the recent example in Wyoming shows that the states are simply not 

going to fix these problems and address the penalty structures— 

penalty weaknesses. 
79 

Finally, I would just like to close by responding to one of the 

things that Mr. Snare says in his testimony. He said that the effort 

to change the OSH Act is driven by a few outlier employers. Is 

Cintas an outlier employer? They are the industry leader. Is 

McWane an outlier employer? They are the industry leader. Is BP 

or Xcel an outlier employer? They are major members of the Chamber of Commerce; and their conduct is reprehensible. 

We are not dealing with outlier employers. We are dealing with 

a law and a legal regimen which is simply not up to the task of 

dealing with and preventing these kinds of outrageous abuses by 

major American corporations. 

Thank you very much. I would like my full statement entered 

into the record. 

[The statement of Mr. Frumin follows:] 

Prepared Statement of Eric Frumin, Health and Safety Coordinator, 

Change to Win 

Chairman Woolsey, Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers, and members of the 

Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. 

I am Eric Frumin. I serve as the Health and Safety Coordinator for Change to 

Win, and have worked in this field for 36 years. Change to Win is a partnership 

of five unions and 5.5 million workers, in a wide variety of industries, building a 

new movement of working people equipped to meet the challenges of the global 

economy in the 21st century and restore the American Dream: a paycheck that can 

support a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement and dignity on the job. 

The five partner unions are: International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers’ 

International Union of North America, Service Employees International Union, 

United Farm Workers of America, and United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. 

On behalf of Change to Win, we greatly appreciate the leadership of Chairman 

Miller, Chairman Woolsey and this Subcommittee in holding this hearing, and for 

your determined interest in the serious problems confronting workers, ethical employers, OSHA and others concerned with the severe gaps in OSHA’s enforcement 

powers, including specifically the question of outdated penalties.1 These shortcomings endanger workers’ lives, and Congress has the power to close the gaps and 

strengthen the protections that workers deserve. We strongly support the Protecting 

America’s Workers Act’s PAWA (HR 2067). 

We also support the changes which we now understand the Committee is considering to further improve the bill you introduced last year. These include the improvements in Title II to protect workers whose employers would rather ruthlessly 

retaliate against employees who complain about hazards or violations—instead of 

holding themselves accountable for violating the law and endangering their employees. These improvements provide the protections that have served workers well 

under other laws, and fixes a severe problem which has hindered OSHA enforcement for decades. 

In addition, we support other related legislation introduced by your Committee to 

close the loopholes in the OSHAct, such as HR 2113, to improve the reporting practices of large corporations regarding their violations and their employees injuries on 

the job, and HR 2199 to better and more quickly protect workers facing imminent 

dangers of severe hazards. 

Let’s first recognize that the OSHAct has made a substantial difference for workers and employers. For 2008, BLS has reported that 5,071 workers died from injuries on the job, an average of 14 workers every day. While still completely unacceptable, it is down from significantly from the 6,632 that BLS reported in 1994.2 (An 

estimated 50,000 more workers lost their lives due to occupational diseases, which 

necessitates long-overdue action to reduce and wherever possible eliminate the 

widespread hazards from toxic materials in the workplace.) 

And for 2008, the BLS tells us that employers reported 3.7 million work-related 

injuries and illnesses.3 We know’s and the Labor Department and others have conceded—that this number does not reflect the full extent of job injuries.4,5 And we 

believe the real number is estimated to be substantially greater. But it is also unquestionable that the actual numbers and rates of non-fatal injuries and illnesses 

has declined substantially since 1970’s particularly in highly hazardous industries 

and occupations. 
80 

But 40 years on, the OSHAct’s enforcement program is too weak in many respects. Over the years OSHA’s ability to effectively conduct enforcement programs 

has been greatly diminished.6 Even with the very important additional resources 

which President Obama and Secretary Solis have added, the number of inspectors 

has still not nearly kept pace with the growth of the American workforce. We certainly welcome these additional resources, as well as the many enforcement initiatives adopted by Secretary Solis and the other new leaders within the Labor Department. However, we also recognize that no Secretary, Assistant Secretary or Labor 

Solicitor can overcome the basic and severe limits of the Act itself. 

The Administration’s improvements in OSHA’s enforcement and penalty policies 

could and should help strengthen enforcement’s as soon as possible. And they will 

need to be supported by Congressional action to provide the necessary resources, especially if the new penalty provisions are adopted. 

But many of the deficiencies in enforcement rest with the OSHAct itself and must 

be addressed through Congressional action. The OSHAct’s enforcement program is 

too weak’s especially the maximum and minimum penalties’s to deter misconduct, 

particularly in comparison with environmental and other safety laws. 

For example, the penalties for serious violations are absurdly low. Serious violations of the OSH Act are violations capable of causing ‘‘death or serious physical 

harm’s’’ hazards that can very seriously injure, sicken or even kill workers. For such violations, the current law allows a maximum penalty of $7,000. However, OSHA’s own data shows that the average penalty issued by Federal inspectors 

for such serious violations in FY 2009 was only $970. Excluding California, where 

the law already calls for higher penalties, the average serious penalty assessed by 

state plans is only 65 percent of the federal OSHA average.7

Aside from OSHA, every other federal enforcement agency—except the IRS—is 

covered by the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act, which requires increases in penalties for inflation. The last time that the Congress adjusted these 

penalties was in 1990’s the only time in 40 years that Congress has increased the 

penalties since it passed the Act in 1970. Thus, the real effect of OSHA penalties 

has been reduced by about 40% since 1990. The penalty provisions of PAWA would 

do so by increasing the maximum penalties for Serious and Other violations from 

$7,000 to $12,000, and for Willful and Repeat violations from $70,000 to $120,000. 

It is high time to correct this terrible disparity. 

Grossly inadequate deterrence 

The current penalties do not provide a serious deterrent to serious misbehavior 

by employers. OSHA continues to find and cite repeated violations as well as socalled ‘‘failure-to-abate’’ penalties where employers don’t even fix the violations for 

which OSHA has cited them at the same worksites. Cases involving willful and repeated violations commonly trigger the additional detailed investigations and higher 

penalties in subsequent inspections. But why should negligent managers feel free 

to engage in such negligence in the first place? Stronger sanctions are clearly necessary to make them fix these dangerous conditions the first time rather than see 

workers suffer needless additional injury. 

The problem of recidivist behavior is not limited to small employers. Major employers in particular fail to get the message. OSHA recently announced a record $87 

million penalty at BP, after a previous citations with record penalties of $21 million.Of that $87 million, nearly $57 million was to penalize BP for failing to keep 

its previous promises to OSHA, its employees, its shareholders and the community 

to stop these abusive practices and to abate serious hazards which OSHA had already identified. 

In 2005, OSHA cited the Cintas Corp. for failing to guard its heavy-duty automated laundry equipment’s despite a near fatal incident the year before on a similar 

piece of equipment, and common knowledge in the industry about this hazard. 

OSHA only imposed a penalty of $2125, which itself was later reduced. Shortly 

thereafter, Eleazar Torres Gomez was killed after being thrown into an industrial 

dryer while trying to clear a large conveyor, and another employee was severely injured in Washington state. Eventually, multiple Cintas plants in eight states across 

the country were found to have repeatedly violated the same or similar applicable 

standards. Only many months later, after these multiple worker complaints, OSHA 

inspections and a nearly $3 million penalty, did Cintas finally agree to fix all its 

106 locations in 36 states across the country with similar hazards. 

It should not have required Mr. Torres Gomez’s gruesome death in an industrial 

dryer, and the significant sanctions that OSHA later imposed, to force Cintas to 

take seriously its simple legal obligation to guard hazardous machines and protect 

its hardworking and loyal employees. The first citation and penalty in 2005, for a 

deadly hazard that was already well-known to the employer, should have been suffi-
81 

cient to trigger action across the company’s particularly in a company whose own 

policies require local management compliance with corporate directives. 

In other cases, where there are no willful or repeat violations, OSHA is confronting a fatality and potential violations for the first time. In these cases, the deterrence is even worse. The current penalties for common serious violations, in cases 

of worker deaths, are completely unacceptable. 

When WalMart’s managers in Valley Stream, NY completely failed to plan for the 

huge crowds at their major store on the Thanksgiving Friday, 2008, and a store employee was literally trampled to death as a result of that poor planning, the only 

sanction WalMart suffered was a $7000 penalty. And despite this negligible sanction, WalMart is still vigorously challenging that penalty on appeal. 

In 2008, Raul Figueroa, a mechanic at Waste Management, Inc. (WMI) in South 

Florida was killed by the hydraulic arm of the garbage truck he was repairing. The 

ultimate penalty was only $6,300.8 Waste Management is one of the largest companies in the solid waste industry. What difference does a $6,300 penalty make to a 

giant corporation? 

As revealed by the 2008 study by the Majority Staff for the Senate Committee 

on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, among all federal OSHA fatality investigations conducted in FY 2007, the median initial penalty was just $5,900.9 Worse, 

after negotiation and settlement, the median final penalty for workplace fatalities 

was reduced to only $3,675. For willful violations in fatality cases, the median final 

penalty was $29,400, less than half the statutory maximum of $70,000 for such violations. 

The message to employers, workers, their communities and corporate shareholders is pretty clear: workers’ lives don’t mean much, and corporate executives 

have little to fear from the Secretary of Labor under the current law. 

Where employers use contract labor for especially hazardous tasks, the potential 

sanctions are non-existent for the corporations and executives who control the workplace. 

In many cases, such as that of Xcel Energy, Inc., the employer hires others to do 

the most hazardous jobs, in part because the employer is fully aware of the dangers 

of doing the work with its own employees. Having hired a disreputable painting contractor with a history of OSHA violations to paint the inside of a large hydroelectric 

tunnel,10 the Xcel Corp. ignored its own confined space policy and allowed the contractor’s work to proceed under very hazardous conditions. Shortly thereafter, five 

men died when a fire started among the chemicals they were handling in the tunnel. Under the current OSHA statute, with the exception of the construction industry, only the contractor business itself as well as its officers, could be held accountable for allowing those conditions to exist in the first place. The huge corporations 

which hire these disreputable contractors are exempt from liabililty for OSHA violations and subsequent prosecution. 

Fortunately, the US Attorney in Denver decided to take a more creative approach, 

and secured an indictment of not just the contractor and its officers, but also against 

Xcel Corp. for ‘‘aiding and abetting’’ the contractor.11 But the corporate executives 

at Xcel Corp. still faced no more of a threat than did the ones at Cintas’s since it 

was only the corporation itself that was charged. It remains to be seen now whether 

or not the Xcel executives take the steps to fully protect their employees. But it is 

certain that none of them will suffer any personal loss of freedom or penalties for 

the horrific consequences of their company’s abysmal failures. 

A better model exists under environmental and other criminal law 

The negligible penalties commonly provided under the OSHAct’s and the lack of 

deterrence they exact—contrasts very strongly with the comparable provisions 

under other Federal laws on human and environmental health and safety. Whether 

we look at financial penalties, the severity of the available criminal sanctions, the 

degree of harm required to impose serious sanctions, or other measures, the OSHAct 

shows a blatant disregard for the lives and health of American workers. 

Environmental laws have explicit criminal sanctions with jail terms of up to 15 

years for knowing violations of environmental protection regulations and knowing 

endangerment of workers. There is no need under these laws to demonstrate that 

anyone was actually harmed, much less actually killed. 

For nearly 20 years, EPA’s enforcement policies have also placed deterrence as its 

top priority in enforcement proceedings ahead of ‘‘Fair and Equitable Treatment of 

the Regulated Community’’ or ‘‘Swift Resolution of Environmental Problems.’’ 12 And 

EPA has used its criminal authority vigorously and frequently at least in comparison to the lackluster track record on criminal sanctions by the Labor and Justice 

Departments under the OSHAct. As the previous Assistant Attorney General Ron-
82 

ald Tenpas said recently in his comments on their prosecutions of employers with 

both environmental and worker safety violations: 

‘‘There are obviously plenty of good corporate citizens out there who want to do 

right by their workers and want to do the right thing, but there are always going 

to be some for whom it’s important that they know there’s the threat of prosecution 

and there’s the threat of going to jail and there’s the threat that their company bottom line is going to be hit and hit significantly if they don’t comply with the law.’’ 

‘‘At the end of the day, we work with the penalties that Congress has decided over 

time are the appropriate ones to provide. In some of those cases, McWane being an 

example, we have found there may be violations related to worker safety, but there 

are also more serious violations related to the environment where penalties are typically much more significant: maximum five years, 10 years, jail time. So we’ve tried 

to make sure we’re using the full-range of enforcement options we have, including 

the environmental statutes for those situations.’’ 13

It is time to fix this disparity, once and for all. 

Criminal sanctions and prosecutions 

Finally, only a small handful of OSHA cases with willful violations, and only 

those involving fatalities, are prosecuted for criminal violations. With hundreds of 

fatality investigations annually, only a literal handful are referred to the Justice Department for prosecution, and some of those are never pursued. One reason so few 

cases are treated this way is that the worst penalty these criminals face is a sixmonth sentence, a mere misdemeanor. Given the average caseload of an Assistant 

U.S. Attorney, it is no surprise that such cases fail to attract the prosecutorial zeal 

that is required to investigate complicated, non-routine cases involving issues that 

federal prosecutors rarely see in their careers. 

Contrast that with the average of 360 cases referred annually by EPA to DOJ for 

criminal prosecutions during the last 7 years of the Bush Administration alone. In 

2009, the prosecutions yielded 176 defendants receiving in 57 years of jail time and 

$64 million in penalties, more cases, fines and jail time in one year than during 

OSHA’s entire history.14

Why are these cases treated so differently? One reason is that, as the Committee 

heard last year, the environmental laws carry maximum penalties of three to five 

years per substantive count, and 15 years for crimes involving knowing 

endangerment (regardless of whether any injury occurs).15

The OSH Act should be amended to provide similar penalties. PAWA goes part 

of the way by raising the maximum sentence to 5 years for the first offense, and 

10 years for a second offense, far less than the 15 years available to prosecutors 

under environmental law, but, as felonies, a substantial improvement over the mere 

six-month misdemeanor under current the current OSHAct. 

To make matters worse, the criminal sanctions only apply to cases where the willful violations actually kill a worker. Short of that, no matter how badly the worker 

was injured or diseased, and no matter how egregious the employer’s behavior, there 

is not even the threat of criminal prosecution. 

Again, PAWA fixes this serious gap by applying the criminal sanctions to not only 

those willful violations that kill workers, but also to the same kinds of violations 

that seriously injury or sicken them. Again, this is considerably less jail time than 

would be the case if the same hazard were prohibited under our environmental 

laws.16 But it is vast improvement over the virtual immunity which negligent employers now enjoy from criminal prosecution when they willfully endanger the safety 

of their employees. 

Finally, we understand that the Committee is considering applying such penalties 

to cases of ‘‘knowing’’ violations, rather than the ‘‘willful’’ violations under current 

OSHA law, a category which does not exist elsewhere in environmental or other 

criminal law. As the Committee heard last year,17 this is a much better grounds 

for prosecution, since it is already familiar to prosecutors, and denies employers the 

defense that they were ignorant of the law. We strongly support this change, and 

urge the Committee to assure that it is included in any final legislation. 

The disparity in criminal sanctions is evident: as long as it is only a misdemeanor 

to kill a worker or lie to an OSHA inspector, many such cases will linger and die 

while cases under other laws promising greater deterrence will get the attention of 

prosecutors. Simply put, under the OSHAct, there is nothing resembling justice for 

the families and co-workers of those who suffer or die at the hands of negligent employers. 

State Plan inadequacies 

Notwithstanding the strengths and weaknesses of the current Federal OSHA enforcement program, state plans have greatly different approaches to fatality inves-
83 

tigations and sanctions, in addition to the much weaker practices on penalties mentioned above. These variations include not only the level of penalty,18 but also 

whether to classify violations as serious in the first place,19 as well as the nature 

of the follow-up enforcement involving other locations of the same company. Thus, 

our problems with the absence of strong deterrence through higher penalties is magnified further for the millions of workers in the 23 states where the enforcement 

is administered by state authorities. 

Under the current OSHAct, the Secretary of Labor has had exceptional difficulty 

forcing states to conform their enforcement programs to the performance levels of 

federal OSHA. However, at a minimum, PAWA would force states to increase their 

penalties and criminal sanctions as well. 

Recently, the Wyoming Governor’s Worker Fatality Prevention Task Force recommended that the state legislature adopt the same penalties that you have proposed in PAWA to help stop the fatalities in the state’s construction and oil/gas 

drilling industries, deaths that have kept Wyoming’s place as having the highest 

rate of worker deaths in the entire country. Outrageously, after both bi-partisan 

sponsorship as well as an overwhelming vote for passage by the state’s House, the 

Wyoming Senate voted it down two weeks ago in a tie vote. And this was after the 

state’s oil/gas industry, publicly, at least—supported this legislation. 

As the Wyoming example makes clear, even where governors or legislators recognize the same faults with the penalties under their own OSHA laws as you have 

recognized with federal law, the challenge of fixing that problem is a practical impossibility. Other than California, no state has increased its penalties above the federal minimums, and we should not expect the states to do so short of action by the 

Congress in passing PAWA. Only action by the US Congress is going to close this 

gap. 

Conclusion 

The penalties proposed by PAWA are very modest. The new criminal sanctions 

are equally modest. Even with these improvements, we all recognize that if passed, 

PAWA will not put the OSHAct on an even par with the sanctions that negligent 

employers have already faced for years under our environmental laws. 

However, these updated penalties and criminal sanctions will begin to give government inspectors and civil and criminal prosecutors the essential tools they need 

to more effectively deter abusive employer conduct, tools that their counterparts in 

many other federal agencies already routinely use to enforce similar laws on environmental protection. Indeed, Congress has increased the penalties under other 

laws, while allowing OSHA’s penalties to linger in their weakened state. Honest, responsible employers will survive, and indeed even thrive, with a safer, secure and 

more productive workforce if you give OSHA the same powers. And until then, dishonest and irresponsible employers will continue to injure and kill workers with virtual impunity. 

We respectfully call upon Congress to modernize and strengthen OSHAct’s penalties, as soon as possible. In this way, our nation can better strive to deliver the 

promise the Congress made when it passed OSHA 40 years ago: ‘‘* * * to assure 

safe and healthful working conditions for each working man and woman and * * * 

by providing an effective enforcement program.’’ 

I will be happy to answer any questions. 

ENDNOTES

1We will not attempt to repeat all the relevant testimony offered at the other recent hearings 

that the Committee and the Subcommittee have held on the issues covered by PAWA, including 

those on March 12, April 23, June 18 and June 24, 2008, and April 28, April 30 and October 

28, 2009. 2 US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. 

3 US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. 

4 HIDDEN TRAGEDY—Underreporting of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses: A Report By the 

Majority Staff Of The Committee On Education And Labor U.S. House Of Representatives; June 

2008. 5 Enhancing OSHA’s Records Audit Process Could Improve the Accuracy of Worker Injury and 

Illness Data, US Government Accountability Office, GAO 10-10, October 15, 2010. 6Testimony of Ms. Margaret Seminario, House Committee on Education and Labor, April 28, 

2009, p. 13. 7Data supplied by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, from its Integrated 

Management Information System. 8OSHA Inspection # 311088033 

9Discounting Death: OSHA’s Failure to Punish Safety Violations That Kill Workers, Report 

of the Majority Staff of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, U. S. Senate, 

April 29, 2008. 
84 

10M. McPhee, Xcel, contractor fined $1 million in Georgetown tunnel deaths,, Denver Post, 

March 24, 2008; http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci—8679504 11 Indictment: United States v. Xcel Energy Corp and others, Case 1:09-cr-00389-WYD, District Court, Middle District of Colorado, Aug. 27, 2009. 12 EPA Civil Penalty Policy GM-21, 1984. 13 Interview of Ronald Tenpas, Frontline: A Dangerous Business Revisted, Dec. 13, 2007; 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/mcwane/interviews/tenpas.html 14Testimony of Ms. Margaret Seminario, House Committee on Education and Labor, April 28, 

2009, p. 9. 15Testimony of Mr. David Uhlmann, House Committee on Education and Labor, April 28, 

2009, p. 2. 16 Ibid, p. 5. 17 Ibid, p. 12. 18Testimony of Ms. Margaret Seminario, House Committee on Education and Labor, April 28, 

2009, p. 14-15. 19Statement of Chairman George Miller, House Committee on Education and Labor, Oct. 29, 

2009: ‘‘only 29 percent of Nevada’s citations were classified as ‘‘serious.’ Compare that to 44 percent for other state plans and 77 percent for federal OSHA.’’ 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Without objection. 

Mr. Snare? 

STATEMENT OF JONATHAN SNARE, PARTNER, MORGAN, 

LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP, ON BEHALF OF THE CHAMBER OF 

COMMERCE 

Mr. SNARE. Good morning, Chairman Woolsey, Ranking Member 

McMorris Rodgers—— 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Your microphone is not on, sir. 

Mr. SNARE. I am sorry. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Okay. 

Mr. SNARE [continuing]. And members of the subcommittee. 

I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you to address a 

number of these very important issues raised by the Protecting 

America Workers Act, and the changes under consideration today. 

I am testifying on behalf of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

At the outset, I would like to provide you, the subcommittee, a 

brief overview of my background and experience, to allow you to 

appreciate and understand the relevance of my testimony, and my 

perspective on these very important issues. 

As mentioned, I am a partner with Morgan Lewis Law Firm, 

having joined the law firm last February 2009. And my practice is 

involved in the area of labor and employment and, specifically, 

workplace safety issues. 

Prior to the time I joined Morgan Lewis, I had the privilege of 

serving, for over 5 years, in several positions at the U.S. Department of Labor. I served as the deputy assistant secretary for OSHA 

from December 2004 through July 2006, as well as served as the 

acting assistant secretary for OSHA for most of that period from 

January 2005 through April 2006. I then served as the deputy solicitor of labor from July 2006 through January 2009. And I also 

served as the acting solicitor for most of 2007. 

While serving in those positions, I believe I have an understanding on the many different strategies and tools that OSHA has 

used to implement its very important mission. I believe the goals 

behind get Protecting America Workers Act are laudable. This legislation is intended to enhance OSHA on its mission to assure a 

safe and health workplace environment, and reduce the number of 

injuries and fatalities. I do believe, however, that the revisions to 

PAWA under consideration, as well as the legislation itself, would 
85 

have unintended consequences, and may not achieve the intent behind the bill. 

Penalties alone will not solve the problem. Remember—penalties 

are imposed after an injury or a fatality. The critical mission of 

OSHA is to assist employers to make sure that injuries and fatalities never occur in the first place. It is also important to note, as 

part of this discussion, the Bureau of Labor Statistics—according 

to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workplace injuries and illnesses 

and fatalities have declined over the last decade, and the most recent available statistics for fiscal year 2008—injuries and fatalities 

were at the lowest level ever recorded. 

While even one workplace fatality is one too many, progress has 

been made. At the core, PAWA can be described under the old 

adage, ‘‘Bad facts make bad law.’’ This is an effort to change the 

OSH Act within enforcement-only sanctions appears to be driven 

by the conduct, as Mr. Frumin mentioned, by a few outlier employers who fail in their workplace safety and health obligations. 

The proposed penalty increases and other sanctions will do nothing to assist employers to understand their obligations for workplace safety and health, such as the small-business owner who is 

trying to understand how to comply with the applicable requirements. How will increasing penalties help her design a more effective workplace-safety program when she knows she is unlikely to 

see an inspection unless there is an accident or a fatality? 

This employer is obviously better served with more outreach and 

compliance-assistance materials than increased penalties. Again, 

the goal here is compliance and prevention, not sanction. 

We have a few following concerns with the provisions of PAWA 

and the revisions under consideration. The abatement of hazards 

pending contests of citations—this proposal will reduce and eliminate the ability of the employer to challenge a citation through 

OSHRC by requiring immediate abatement. Immediate abatement, 

as you have already heard in panel one, is already available 

through the emergency-shutdown mechanism that Mr. Fairfax described for you. 

The signaled modification would substitute an employer’s ability 

to suspend abatement while contesting a citation, to allow him to 

have the right to have his citation adjudicated by substituting a 

higher burden of proof akin to securing a temporary injunction. 

The civil-penalty changes under PAWA—while some of the changes 

proposed for the failure to abate in the ‘‘other than serious’’ are 

laudable in the proposed modifications, the civil penalties themselves raise the issues I already mentioned. 

Penalties themselves do not solve the problem. 

The criminal penalties in the sanctions under PAWA—the 

change from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing’’—would upend a decade of 

OSHA law, introduce tremendous uncertainty, and furthering a 

huge increase in contested cases. 

The issue of adding a responsible corporate officer, as originally 

in PAWA, as well as now the revision to officer or director, will also 

result, in my judgment, in a witch hunt, for officers and directors 

responsible. Those terms are undefined, confusing; will cause a lot 

of problems on the job site; will cause problems for safety director 
86 

and other employees trying to manage safety and health on the job 

site. 

The whistleblower provisions are also problematic, as mentioned 

in my written statement. 

And, again, I think it is important for the subcommittee to understand the unintended consequence and the impact of higher 

penalties imposed under this act. And that will clog and delay the 

judicial process under OSHRC, and result in significant delays and 

adjudication for OSHA penalties, and will cause a diminution and 

reduction in workplace safety and health. 

I would ask the committee to enter my written statement into 

the record. And I will be happy to address any questions you may 

have. 

Thank you, Madam Chairman. 

[The statement of Mr. Snare follows:] 

Prepared Statement of Jonathan L. Snare, Partner, 

Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, on Behalf of the Chamber of Commerce 

Good morning Chairwoman Woolsey, Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers and 

Members of the Subcommittee. My name is Jonathan Snare. I am an attorney and 

I am currently a partner with the DC office of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP law 

firm. I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you at this hearing to address 

a number of the important issues raised by the Protecting America’s Workers Act 

legislation (HR 2067; S 1580). I am testifying today on behalf of the U.S. Chamber 

of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation with over three million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations. Importantly for the purposes of this hearing, over 96 percent 

of the Chamber’s members are small businesses employing 100 or fewer employees. 

I am a member of the Chamber’s Labor Relations Committee and serve on the 

OSHA Subcommittee. My testimony and comments are not intended to represent 

the views of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP or any of our clients. 

Background 

At the outset, I would like to provide you and the Subcommittee with a brief overview of my background and experience to allow you to appreciate and understand 

the relevance of my testimony and my perspective on these very important issues. 

I have been a practicing attorney for close to twenty-five years, and I am a graduate of the University of Virginia and Washington & Lee University School of Law. 

As I mentioned, I am a partner with Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, having joined 

the firm in February 2009. My practice is focused on advising clients in the labor 

and employment field, largely in areas of workplace safety and health, as well as 

whistleblower matters, regulatory issues, government prevailing wage requirements, 

wage and hour/FLSA, and other related matters. The focus of my practice is to provide advice and counsel to a wide variety of clients in the area of workplace safety 

and health—ranging from assisting clients with investigations from government 

agencies such as the Chemical Safety Board, to representing clients in enforcement 

proceedings brought by OSHA and its state plan state partners, as well as to assisting clients with safety and health compliance issues, recordkeeping questions, workplace audits, and the like. On this compliance side of the practice, I have been working with my law firm colleagues (several of whom have over 30 years of experience 

in this field) to advise clients large and small with a variety of matters to assist 

them in complying with all applicable OSHA workplace safety and health requirements. 

Prior to the time I joined the Morgan Lewis law firm last year, I had the privilege 

of serving for over five years in several positions at the U.S. Department of Labor. 

Most relevant for the purposes of this hearing, I served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) from December 2004 through July 2006, as well as serving as the Acting Assistant Secretary 

for OSHA for most of that period, from January 2005 through April 2006. I then 

served as the Deputy Solicitor of Labor from July 2006 through January 2009 and 

I served as the Acting Solicitor of Labor for most of 2007. I also served as the Senior 

Advisor to the Solicitor in 2003 to 2004. 

Having had the privilege of running two of the Department of Labor’s largest 

agencies, OSHA and the Solicitor’s Office, I once had the responsibility of overseeing 
87 

OSHA’s critically important mission of assuring a safe and healthy workplace for 

every working American, and of the Solicitor’s Office crucial role of providing legal 

support to OSHA to assist the agency in implementing the goals of its mission. In 

so doing, I believe I developed an understanding and insight on the many different 

strategies and tools that OSHA has available to implement these important goals. 

We share the common goals of the Protecting America’s Workers Cct 

I believe that the goals behind the Protecting America’s Workers Act are laudable—this legislation is intended to enhance OSHA in its mission to assure a safe 

and healthy workplace environment and to reduce the number of workplace injuries/ 

illnesses and fatalities. I do believe, however, that the revisions to PAWA under consideration today as well as legislation itself may have unintended consequences and 

may not achieve the intent behind this bill. Penalties alone will not solve the problem—remember, penalties are imposed after the fact of an injury or fatality. The 

critical mission of OSHA is to assist employers to make sure these injuries and fatalities never occur in the first place. To understand my concerns, I think it would 

be helpful for the Subcommittee to hear about the recent activities of OSHA as well 

as its record in achieving its mission. 

Overview of OSHA’s record over the last decade 

During the last Administration, I believe that OSHA demonstrated that its ‘‘balanced approach’’ of using enforcement, compliance assistance and cooperative programs, and outreach and training to respond to the challenge of workplace safety 

and health was successful in its continuing mission of improving workplace safety 

and health. 

On the enforcement side, OSHA endeavored to focus its resources on those employers who demonstrated a complete disregard for their obligations under the OSH 

Act and the many standards and regulations promulgated there under. As part of 

that effort, OSHA conducted on average approximately 38,000 inspections every 

year; focused the agency’s resources and enforcement on employers who had failed 

to value the lives and safety/health of their employees; expanded the use of procedures for the agency to seek intervention by a federal court of appeals to take action 

against employers when necessary; increased the number of referrals to the Department of Justice for possible criminal prosecution from an average of 6 per year in 

the 1990s to approximately 12 per year; utilized the available tools of egregious citations when necessary, and OSHA took steps to clarify through rulemaking the application of the egregious policy to respond to a court decision which had created confusion as the use of that policy; and issued a number of significant citation penalties 

including the largest citation penalty in OSHA’s history up to that time. 

For the vast majority of employers who understand the value of their most precious resources—their employees—and who want to do the right thing and comply 

with workplace safety and health requirements, OSHA offered the assistance to enable them to better understand and comply with their obligations. The agency did 

this through our expanded compliance assistance programs including the expansion 

of the VPP program which I believe had a significant positive impact on workplace 

safety over the past decade. OSHA also continued with outreach efforts and expanded training programs in many different and innovative ways to provide employees, employee groups, community groups and employers resources to better understand the safety requirements and to learn better ways to improve safety on the jobsite. One of the initiatives of which I am most proud were the efforts to focus on 

the challenge of reaching the non-English speaking and immigrant workforce 

through a variety of programs including projects designed to outreach to Hispanic 

workers through an OSHA task force a well as working with a number of governments and consulates from Mexico as well as Central America to produce materials 

and guidance in Spanish. 

The record on workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities over the past decade 

shows continued improvement. As has been reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), workplace injuries and illnesses declined throughout the decade and the 

most recent available statistics, for FY 2008 are at the lowest levels ever recorded. 

Nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private industry employers in 2008 

occurred at a rate of 3.9 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers—a decline from 

4.2 cases in 2007. Workplace fatalities have likewise declined over the past decade, 

and the most recent available statistics, show that fatalities are at the lowest levels 

ever recorded. For FY 2008, 5,071 workplace fatalities were recorded, down from a 

total of 5,657 fatal work injuries reported for 2007. While the 2008 results are preliminary, this figure represents the smallest annual preliminary total since the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program was first conducted in 1992. 

Based on these preliminary counts, the rate of fatal injury for U.S. workers in 2008 
88 

was 3.6 fatal work injuries per 100,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers, down 

from the final rate of 4.0 in 2007 While even one workplace fatality is one too many, 

and tragic to every family who suffers such a loss (which I can attest to since my 

family lost a member to a workplace accident), the facts are clear that OSHA has 

achieved significant success in reducing these injuries and fatalities throughout its 

history including these record low numbers of fatalities and injuries in the last decade. 

By every available factual and statistical measure, OSHA has been successful in 

its mission. Something must have been working for these results to have been 

achieved. In my judgment, the way to achieve these types of results is for OSHA 

to use the wide variety of resources available to assist employers who have the ultimate responsibility under our system for workplace safety and health, which includes motivating employers in some cases through enforcement or the risk of enforcement, as well as offering outreach and compliance assistance to employers to 

enable them to understand and comply with their obligations. This balanced approach to workplace safety makes sense particularly given the structure of the OSH 

Act and the reality of agency funding, and the nature of OSHA’s responsibilities for 

workplace safety. 

All in all, I am proud of the record of OSHA and the efforts of its dedicated employees over the past decade. I believe these efforts contributed to achieving the lowest number of workplace fatalities and injuries ever recorded. 

I understand that there are those who disagree, some vigorously, with the approach of the last Administration. These types of debates concerning the best way 

for OSHA to achieve its mission and the varying combinations and emphasis of the 

available tools for OSHA given the current funding structure—whether it be enforcement, regulatory requirements, compliance assistance, cooperative programs, 

training and who should be the beneficiary of training programs—have been around 

since the passage of the OSH Act and inception of the agency, and will continue 

in the future. I think these types of debates are healthy—they show that stakeholders from all sides are looking for the best approach to improving workplace safety. 

OSHA’s mission and structure, and employers’ responsibility for workplace safety 

and health 

The OSH Act tasked OSHA with the mission to assure workplace safety and 

health but it has always been the responsibility of the employers, not OSHA itself, 

to ensure safety and health on the jobsite. OSHA has never had the resources, even 

when the agency had its largest number of employees, to inspect the 6 million worksites now within its jurisdiction. When you take into account that federal OSHA 

conducts approximately 38,000 inspections it would take the agency over 90 to 100 

years to inspect every worksite. Clearly, enforcement alone will never be able to 

reach every workplace or serve as an effective deterrent. OSHA does not have the 

funds, and will never have the funds, to hire the staff large enough to reach each 

worksite on a regular basis through enforcement. The only way to leverage OSHA’s 

resources to reach the greatest number of worksites and have the most positive impact on workplace safety and health is to use these other programs like compliance 

assistance, outreach, and training. 

Underlying OSHA’s enforcement efforts is the employer’s responsibility to comply 

with all applicable workplace safety and health obligations. This system, then, depends on employers taking it upon themselves to implement the necessary steps and 

programs. The goal here is to prevent workplace fatalities as well as injuries and 

illnesses from happening in the first place. Enforcement and penalties do not prevent workplace fatalities and injuries; they are imposed after workplace fatalities 

and injuries have occurred. Simply put, the best approach to workplace safety and 

health under this existing system and structure is a proactive approach that reaches 

employers before there is a problem and provides them with the support and guidance they need to protect their employees. 

My experience in government service, as well as in private law practice, is that 

most employers want to do the right thing in terms of workplace safety and health, 

as most employers care about their most valuable resource, their employees. For 

most employers, workplace safety and health makes sense for business and economic reasons, as those with safe worksites are often the most productive and efficient, with the lowest overhead and workers’ compensation rates, and it makes 

sense because it is the right thing to do. 
89 

OSHA already has sufficient available enforcement tools and penalties to impose 

sanctions against employers where the circumstances warrant 

I want to make clear that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce does not condone those 

employers who have intentionally flouted their obligations to protect their employees and fail to comply with their workplace safety and health obligations. Those employers—a small minority of employers—deserve the full range of enforcement sanctions by OSHA depending on the particular facts of the violation in question. 

There are already sufficient penalties and enforcement tools to take action against 

those employers. Under the OSH Act, there are currently five general categories of 

civil penalties available to OSHA to impose on employers: Willful; Repeat; Failure 

to Abate; Serious; and Other than Serious. Under the current structure, penalties 

for willful violations can be imposed up to $70,000 for each willful violation of an 

OSHA standard or the General Duty Clause. While not defined in the statute, a 

willful violation has come to mean one where the employer is established to have 

been aware of and intentionally violated these requirements or acted with reckless 

disregard or plain indifference to workplace safety. OSHA can also impose a civil 

penalty of up to $70,000 for each repeat violation which is a violation of the same 

or substantially similar requirement by the same employer at the same or different 

facility. Additionally, OSHA has the ability to impose instance by instance penalties 

(the egregious policy) under certain circumstances so that the agency could impose 

willful violations for each instance of conduct, for example it could impose a willful 

penalty for each employee affected. In other words, the agency already has the prosecutorial authority to impose penalties in large amounts (sometimes in the multiple 

of millions of dollars) in these cases, as we have seen. 

For those violations which are serious, the agency can impose a civil penalty of $7000. The agency can also impose a civil penalty of $7000 per day for a failure 

to abate violation for each day beyond the required abatement date that the particular condition or hazard remains unabated. 

As to potential and available criminal sanctions, the OSH Act provides that an employer can be subject to a criminal fine of up to $250,000 and six months in jail 

for the first willful violation resulting in the death of an employee, and a criminal 

fine of up to $500,000 and twelve months in jail for the second willful violation resulting in an employee fatality. And as I already noted in my testimony, OSHA did 

not hesitate during the previous administration to refer cases that met this criteria 

to the Department of Justice for review and consideration for criminal prosecution. 

Problems with the Protecting America’s Workers Act and the revisions under consideration 

The proposed changes to the OSH Act by the PAWA legislation and the revisions 

to PAWA under discussion at today’s hearing will simply not achieve the desired 

results in terms of improving workplace safety and health. Further, many provisions 

of this legislation and these revisions will result in adverse consequences to OSHA 

in terms of the administration of its enforcement, and to the Solicitor’s Office which 

is charged with the responsibility of litigating contested cases. The revisions to 

PAWA under consideration at today’s hearing (I reviewed the summary available 

late last week and the legislative language which I received only yesterday) will also 

not improve this bill’s ability to improve workplace safety. I have not had the chance 

to conduct a thorough review of the legislative language under consideration, and 

I would like to reserve the right to offer the Subcommittee any further comments 

after I have had the full opportunity to conduct a more careful review of that language. 

In general, the proposals to increase civil and criminal penalties; dramatically revise the whistleblower structure under the OSH Act; require immediate abatement; 

and expand victim’s rights, will cause delays in the ultimate resolution of contested 

enforcement cases, and unduly strain the resources of OSHA and the Solicitor’s Office. Data on MSHA and the increase in penalties over the last few years, and other 

increases in sanctions to employers, which resulted in huge increases in contested 

cases, delays in resolving cases, as well as challenging burdens on the Solicitor’s Office and which were the subject of a hearing in this committee earlier this year demonstrated the unintended and negative consequences of these approaches. 

At its core, PAWA can be described under the old adage ‘‘bad facts make bad law.’’ 

This effort to change the OSH Act with enforcement-only sanctions appears to be 

driven by the conduct of the few outlier employers who fail in their workplace safety 

and health obligations. These proposed penalty increases and other sanctions will 

do nothing to assist employers to understand their obligations for workplace safety 

and health, such as the small business owner who is trying to understand how to 

comply with applicable requirements. How will increasing penalties help her design 

a more effective workplace safety program when she knows she is unlikely to see 
90 

an inspection unless there is an accident or fatality? This employer is obviously better served with more outreach and compliance assistance materials than increased 

penalties. Again, the goal here is compliance and prevention, not sanction. This approach benefits employers but more importantly it benefits employees. 

Specifically, we have the following concerns with these provisions of PAWA and 

the revisions under consideration at today’s hearing: 

Abatements of hazards pending contests of citations: This provision will reduce or 

eliminate the ability of an employer to challenge a citation through the OSHRC administrative process by requiring immediate abatement. Immediate abatement is already available through the emergency shutdown mechanism when OSHA identifies 

an imminent hazard. This provision will also eliminate one source of leverage that 

OSHA and the Solicitor’s Office can use to resolve cases by settling appropriate 

cases with the requirement of immediate abatement imposed. 

The signaled modification to this mandatory abatement provision which would 

substitute an employer’s ability to suspend abatement while contesting the citation 

with a higher burden of proof akin to what is required for securing a temporary injunction is simply unjustified and an outrageous trampling of due process rights. 

Abatement is more than just protecting against a hazard; it is part of accepting responsibility for the violation. Mandating abatement before allowing the employer to 

exhaust their adjudicative process would be like asking a criminal or civil defendant 

to pay a fine or serve a sentence before the trial is held. 

In addition, this provision will eliminate OSHA and the Solicitor’s Office prosecutorial discretion in handling these contested cases. This provision strikes me as unduly punitive and makes it much more difficult for employers, particularly smaller 

employers who lack resources, to challenge certain citations which they may believe 

in good faith are incorrect or improperly imposed by the agency in the first place. 

By making it harder to settle cases this will increase the rate of contest cases. 

Expanding Victims’ Rights: The signaled modification to this provision of PAWA 

would allow an employee who has sustained a work-related injury or a family member if that employee was killed or unable to exercise their rights, to make a statement before an Administrative Law Judge at OSHRC for those cases which have 

been contested. Under PAWA these employees or their family members are permitted to make a presentation to the meet with the Secretary or the designated representative and to be kept informed of the investigation and any citations that may 

be issued. Further, PAWA also provides these employees, or their representatives, 

the opportunity to learn of any modifications to the citations or settlement negotiations, and to object to such modifications or settlements. Given the legal nature of 

these proceedings, there does not appear to be much value to this presentation other 

than to sensationalize presumably already emotional and sensitive matters. 

Civil Penalties: The signaled change to PAWA’s expansion of civil penalties, the elimination of the $50,000 penalty for fatalities under ‘‘other than serious’’ violations 

is appropriate, not because it reduces the penalty amount, but because of the lower 

level of violation involved. Similarly the signaled elimination of the penalty for failure to abate sounds sensible. 

However, the remaining increases in civil penalties under PAWA raise the issues 

already mentioned about the impact of increasing penalties, the unintended consequences, and the flaw in thinking that merely increasing penalties will result in 

improved workplace safety. 

Criminal Penalties: The signaled modifications to PAWA’s increase in criminal 

penalties would change the level of intent necessary for criminal penalties from the 

current ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing.’’ Such a change would upend decades of OSHA law— 

dating to the passage of the act in 1970 and introduce tremendous uncertainty, further guaranteeing substantial increases in contested cases. While the ‘‘knowing’’ 

standard is used in EPA law, it has not been the standard for OSHA criminal culpability. As there is no further definition in the bill of this standard, employers (and 

OSHA inspectors) will be left to guess what this means and when it should apply. 

This is a prescription for utter confusion and legal challenges that will be costly to 

both the employer and the agency. 

Changing ‘‘any responsible corporate officer’’ to ‘‘an officer or director’’ will result 

in a witch hunt to hold officers or directors responsible. Even the original ‘‘any responsible corporate officer’’ term in PAWA would be problematic, but expanding this 

to any officer or director will make corporate personnel unduly subject to prosecution when they generally have no involvement in day to day operations. All of these 

definitions are vague and ambiguous as to who would fall within these categories. 

These definitions are also vague as to how they would be applied in the legal process; do they apply only to the corporate entity or other legal entities such as partnerships? Does this mean that any limited partner or director would now be subject 

to potential criminal prosecution? None of these changes will improve workplace 
91 

safety and health, and actually, this new requirement, if adopted, could result in 

adverse impact as corporate employees would now fear that any decision they could 

make on the jobsite could subject them to prosecution. Imagine that a safety director or E, H & S employee—they would be faced with the reality that every one of 

their decisions would be micromanaged, potentially by employees who have little or 

no expertise in safety and health. This would result in a chilling effect on these employees in trying to simply do their job. This could create uncertainty on the jobsite 

with a net reduction of workplace safety and health. 

New whistleblower requirements: The signaled changes to PAWA’s whistleblower 

expansions are described as ‘‘align[ing] OSHA whistleblower provisions with other 

modern whistleblower laws’’ which is ironic since most whistleblower provisions in 

other laws are modeled after OSHA’s provision, and there is no evidence that expansion of whistleblower protections is appropriate. Although I have not had the opportunity to give these revisions under consideration a thorough review, as I just received the legislative language yesterday, the original PAWA language expanding 

whistleblower protections raises some difficulties. 

The initial language in PAWA concerning the underlying justification for whistleblower status—that the employee has a ‘‘reasonable apprehension’’ that a particular 

job duty would result in a serious injury—and protect that employee who then refuses to perform that job function is itself a significant departure from other whistleblower statutes and would potentially create significant confusion and disruption 

in the workplace. While we understand the need for employees to avoid putting 

themselves at risk, we are concerned by the potential for disruption and the absence 

of any objective criteria governing this decision. This language is simply too vague 

and ambiguous to apply in a practical workplace context. 

We also note that the new whistleblower provisions being discussed today allow 

employees to recover, against the employer, their attorneys’ fees and costs if they 

are successful in getting an order for relief from either the Secretary or a court. 

Similarly, allowing small businesses that successfully defend themselves against an 

OSHA citation to recover their attorneys’ fees has long been one of our key goals. 

Bills to permit this have passed the House with bipartisan support in previous Congresses. While inclusion of this idea would not cure the problems we see with these 

whistleblower provisions, we believe allowing small businesses the same opportunity 

as employees to recover attorney’s fees is only fair. 

Adverse impact of OSHA contested caseloads and adverse impact on administration 

of OSHA litigation: ‘‘justice delayed is justice denied’’ 

The net result of the proposed increase in penalties and sanctions is that employers will contest cases at a higher rate, which will impose an adverse impact on 

OSHA and the Solicitor’s Office resources and will greatly delay the administrative 

litigation process and delay the resolution of OSHA contested cases. 

We do not need to look any further than the recent example of MSHA to see the 

difficulties and challenges. Indeed, the full Education and Labor held a hearing on 

this subject on February 23. In the case of MSHA, the increased penalties under 

the Miner Act, combined with the aggressive use of existing tools, such as the Pattern of Violation mechanism, resulted in a dramatic increase in contest cases. For 

example, the percentage of contest MSHA violations went from just over 5 percent 

in 2005 (the year prior to the Miner Act), jumping to over 20 percent by 2007, and 

over 25 percent in 2008 and 2009. 

From personal experience I can attest to the challenges these increases posed for 

the Solicitor’s Office and MSHA. During this same period, I was the Acting Solicitor 

and Deputy Solicitor and we devoted significant time and effort to manage the impact of these higher contest rates. We had to shift resources within the Solicitor’s 

Office, and take other often difficult steps, to assist with this dramatic increase in 

the workload. Due to the risk of the Pattern of Violations and the significantly higher penalties, it was much more difficult to settle cases, further adding to the problem. The MSHRC also faced problems in that they simply did not have enough ALJs 

to hear all of the cases. Funding increases partially solved this problem but it still 

remains a huge problem and the resolution of many cases has been delayed for 

months, if not years. The current backlog of cases is 16,000 and the caseload docket 

increased from 2,700 cases in FY 2006 to more than 14,000 cases in FY 2009. 

I think it is important for this Subcommittee to carefully consider the practical 

real world impact of any of these proposed changes to the penalty structure which 

will have a significant impact on the administration of the OSHA contested caseload. 
92 

Conclusion 

The Protecting America’s Workers Act would radically restructure the OSHA civil 

and criminal penalty regime, as well as make other significant changes to how 

OSHA proceeds with its enforcement functions. Unfortunately, nothing in this bill, 

nor the revisions under consideration today, will do anything to actually help employers, and most importantly small businesses, improve safety in their workplaces. 

The goal is to prevent workplace fatalities and injuries from occurring, not merely 

punishing the employer after they occur. As recent data makes clear, the best way 

to achieve continuous improvements in workplace safety and health is to utilize a 

proactive approach with enforcement when appropriate, and offer outreach, training, 

and compliance assistance to that vast majority of employers who want to do the 

right thing and comply with their workplace safety and health obligations. 

Thank you for this opportunity to speak to you on these important issues, and 

I would now be happy to respond to any questions that you may have. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Without objection. 

Mr. Frumin, in the BP situation—now, contractors are employers, because every size contractor—I mean, every size employer is 

covered by the OSH laws. So why would the contractor send their 

employee into an unsafe situation, without being held liable for 

that? 

I mean, how do we bridge that without it getting—‘‘You said,’’ ‘‘I 

said,’’ ‘‘I didn’t know’’—I mean, isn’t the contractor supposed to 

know whether it is safe or not when they send their employer to 

work? 

Mr. FRUMIN. Well—— 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Employee to work. I am sorry. 

Mr. FRUMIN. You know, contractors can be, you know, two-person 

operations. They can be larger companies. They should know. One 

would hope they would know. What is terrifying about the case of 

the Xcel Energy plant in Colorado was that, here, you have an extremely sophisticated company hiring a contractor with repeated 

instances of very severe violations in other states, including in 

California, on the Bay Bridge. Workers died. And—— 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Excuse me. The contractor had the repeated—— 

Mr. FRUMIN. Yes. Yes, the—— 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY [continuing]. Violation? 

Mr. FRUMIN. And Xcel hires them to do a highly hazardous job. 

A high-school student could get on OSHA’s Website and find 

those violations. This was years before this—this incident in Colorado. And then, to make matters worse, Xcel discusses with them 

how to protect not only the contractor employees, but Xcel’s employees, and then leaves it all up to the contractor—doesn’t— 

doesn’t impose Xcel’s own supervision that might have potentially 

prevented this outrage. 

We can’t count on contractors being, in fact, the knowledgeable 

party. And, instead, what we are seeing in this industry and others 

is big companies—— 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. All right, so what would you do to fix 

this disparity? Do you have some recommendations to us? What we 

are doing in PAWA—will that help? 

Mr. FRUMIN. Well, it will certainly help by forcing the contractors 

themselves to take their own future security more seriously, because they, themselves, could end up in—facing criminal provisions. And with the additional severe violations that we see here 
93 

for obstruction of justice and so forth, for lying to inspectors, we 

would make it much more difficult for companies like Xcel to collaborate in the way they did in this terrible incident. 

What it will not do, unfortunately, is impose upon Xcel the same 

liability that they would have to—if it were a construction site. We 

have multi-employer liability in construction. So it is one more example of how modest—how very modest this legislation is. There 

are many loopholes that still remain. We hope that, if it passes, it 

will force employers to behave differently. But it is still a very modest piece of legislation. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Thank you. 

Mr. Snare, when you talked about the—that there are sufficient 

penalties already available for enforcement tools—well, since it appears, with the Water—the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air 

Act—that we must certainly prefer and appreciate our fish and 

birds and—a lot more than we do our workers—don’t you think we 

should have kept up with inflation at least, from—since the last 

time we raised the penalties? 

Mr. SNARE. Well, again, as your—I think your question, earlier, 

to Dr. Michaels—I would echo what he indicated in the sense that 

it is hard—I don’t know what the intent of Congress was under 

those particular environmental statutes. I understand what they 

say. 

Again, on the workplace safety and health, it is my position, and 

the position of the Chamber, that the penalties are already sufficient. And if you look at some of the examples in my written statement about the tools that OSHA already has—for example, the 

Egregious Policy, where the agency can issue an instance-by-instance violation on very, you know, particular circumstances. They 

can have penalties in the millions of dollars. There were a number 

of cases that I reviewed and approved during my tenure at the Department of Labor that were multi-million-dollar citations, using 

that particular policy to impose against particular employers. 

But the general proposition, which we all are here for, is to improve workplace safety and health, reduce injury and illnesses 

across every job site in America. And in my judgment and the judgment and the judgment of the Chamber of Commerce, it is better 

served with a balanced approach—compliance programs, outreach 

to allow a small-business owner to understand how to comply within OSHA standards, which may be unclear. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Well, my time is just about up. 

But in 2009, the average OSHA penalty for a serious violation— 

the average—was $970. It must have taken an awful lot of those 

suits to add up to millions and millions of dollars. I don’t see how 

that all comes together. 

I would like to yield to Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers. 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman, and 

I thank you for holding this hearing today. And we do have a 

shared goal of ensuring that our workplace is safe. 

I think that we have to be careful about picking one or two examples, and then passing sweeping legislation that could, potentially, add more burdensome and complicated rules on employers 

that really are trying—and it is their goal to have—provide a safe 

workplace. 
94 

Mr. Snare, I wanted to ask: What do you believe are the publicpolicy implications of changing the standard of criminal penalties 

from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing’’? 

Mr. SNARE. Again, as I mentioned briefly in my opening remarks, 

and elaborated more in my written statement, it is—you are changing and upending an entire 40-year period of law that has developed under the OSHA standard under ‘‘willful.’’ In my judgment, 

it is going to create significant confusion in litigation and adjudication of cases. 

And you can see the difficulties by the example of MSHA over 

the last few years, and the increase of penalties, and what has that 

done to the entire litigation process, and the delays that everyone 

has suffered by delays in resolution of cases. That situation, as you 

have described—changing that provision from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing’’ would cause a lot of those same problems and difficulties, and 

would create problems for the entire system, in my judgment. 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. Thank you. 

You know, Madam Chairwoman, I just think we have to be very 

careful about not creating an adversarial relationship within the 

workplace. And you look over the last 10 years, and we have—and 

we have seen some good cooperation take place—providing more 

assistance to both employers and employees—particularly small 

businesses. And, during that same period, there has been a decline 

in workplace-fatality rates, as well as injury and illness rates. 

Such, Mr. Snare, I would like to ask what you think about—I am 

concerned—about moving back to more of a ‘‘Got you’’ mentality on 

the part of OSHA, rather than continuing some of these positive 

trends? 

Mr. SNARE. I would echo your concern, Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers. 

I mean, the reality is, over the last decade, if you look at the statistics and look at the numbers, workplace injuries and illnesses 

and fatalities have been at record lows. They have been declining 

for most of the decade. And you have got to look at—those are the 

facts. And what was the agency doing during most of that time period? Using a mixture and a balanced approach—enforcement 

where necessary. 

Against the companies in some of the examples that Mr. Frumin 

and others have mentioned, enforcement is, obviously, necessary. 

But at the same time, for—most employers want to do the right 

thing. You want to provide them with the materials, the outreach, 

the compliance, to allow them to comply and understand, because 

there are 6 million job sites. And the agency is never going to be 

able to reach all of them. It is more effective to leverage those resources and do it with the way of a balanced approach, which—all 

the things I described—that leads to safer job sites in America. 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. So what should be the measurement 

for improvement in workplace safety and health? An increase in 

the level of written violations? More money collected from penalties 

or a decrease in the number of fatalities and injuries? 

Mr. SNARE. I think it is the latter. It is the reduction in injuries 

and fatalities. Penalties, as I mentioned in my opening statement, 

are imposed after the fact. The goal here is to be proactive and prevent injuries and illnesses from occurring in the first place. 
95 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. Does OSHA already have the power 

to shut down a company in imminent danger or that is in an imminent-danger situation, and force abatement? 

Mr. SNARE. Yes, they do. And you heard some testimony or—actually, you were not here, Ranking Member. I am sorry. 

But Richard Fairfax, the director of enforcement at OSHA talked 

about the provision. It is under Section 13 of the OSH Act. And it 

does provide for an imminent shutdown of an employer’s facility in 

the event of an imminent danger. And there is procedures by which 

you post a notice, ask the employer to shut down. If not, you have 

the right to go to court. 

We had several of those situations occur when I was in the Labor 

Department. And we took action accordingly, under the existing 

provisions in the OSH Act to effectuate a shutdown and an abatement. 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. What do you believe Congress could 

do to clarify OSHA’s standards, and help employers comply with 

workplace regulations? 

Mr. SNARE. Again, I think, generally speaking, the system is 

working. I think it is important for the agency to make sure it provides the resources available for employers, to allow them to understand and comply, and to work through—in improving workplace 

safety and health. 

Most employers want to do the right thing. A lot of them already 

are doing the right thing. And to those small-business owners, it 

is incumbent on the agency to help them learn to do the right 

thing, prevent those injuries and illnesses from occurring. 

But, again, when there is an employer in certain situations who 

has a disregard for their obligations, that is when enforcement is 

necessary. And there are already tools, in my judgment, to achieve 

that. 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. Thank you. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Congressman Payne? 

Mr. PAYNE. Thank you very much. 

Mr. Snare, you mentioned that enforcement, in your opinion—enforcement and penalties did not prevent workplace fatalities and 

injuries. They are imposed after fatalities and injuries have occurred. But isn’t it the case that OSHA levies penalties during 

complaint and programmed inspections, and that these actions help 

prevent accidents? Isn’t that the reason that OSHA leveled a $87 

million penalty against BP in Texas City—in order to prevent future explosions? 

I mean, you say it is totally unrelated—it is all after-the-fact; 

therefore, it can’t have much worth. But, of course, it can’t do anything about what happened. But what about the future? You feel 

it has no impact? 

Mr. SNARE. I think, Congressman Payne, what I mentioned is 

that the issue of penalties being imposed after the fact—I am talking about that generally. Under OSHA enforcement, there are a variety of ways the agency can enforce—under programmed inspections, using the site-specific targeting program, as well as coming 

in for a complaint or an imminent danger, or an incident like what 

happened in a refinery explosion or BP, or whatever example you 

can cite. 
96 

The agency is coming in and handling enforcement. I think my 

point is, generally, if penalties are imposed after the fact—they are 

not proactive. They do nothing to improve workplace safety and 

health from a general standpoint. But yet, when there is an employer who has violated their obligations under the OSH Act, and 

under the applicable standards, it is appropriate. I am not saying 

it is not. I am saying it is appropriate for the agency to come in 

and enforce. And there are sufficient tools under the act now for 

them to do so. 

And, again, when I was—during my tenure at the Labor Department, we had a very strong enforcement program. And when there 

were employers who had violated their obligations, we took aggressive steps where necessary—and where the facts and circumstances 

warranted it—against those employers. 

Mr. PAYNE. What is your opinion on that, Mr. Frumin? 

Mr. FRUMIN. Thank you, Mr. Payne. 

Well, I am a little shocked to hear Mr. Snare’s description of the 

act, because it is really counter to the reality. And, after all, he was 

there, so he must know the reality. 

The reality is that the vast majority of instances in which OSHA 

imposes a penalty is not in reaction to injuries or fatalities, but because a compliance officer, for one reason or another, is in a workplace, finds violations—and thank goodness the Congress required 

first-instance penalties—imposes a penalty. 

If we were only imposing penalties after fatalities, I think the 

math would require us to have four of five times number of fatalities than we have now. I mean, it is nonsensical what he is saying. 

So that is simply a misstatement. And the vast number of times 

that OSHA imposes penalties, and the vast majority of the penalties that OSHA imposes are not in response to injuries and fatalities. 

And the other thing I would quickly add is that one of the things 

that—one of the improvements in OSHA’s enforcement program 

was in collaboration with the Justice Department, in recognition 

of—as the Justice Department pointed out today—in recognition of 

the severe weaknesses in the OSH Act. And, of course, that was 

during Mr. Snare’s term. 

Mr. PAYNE. As a matter of fact, Mr. Snare, I was looking at— 

as you cited in your opening remarks—the fact that you were with 

the Department of Labor, and even the solicitor general, which, 

really, is the important issue of bringing cases before. 

And your testimony—you state that there is no evidence that expanding whistle-blowing protection is appropriate. According to 

OSHA data, however, only 6.7 percent of all meritorious whistleblower claims under OSHA are ever prosecuted by the solicitor. 

And some 60 percent are simply discarded, leaving workers with no 

recourse under the law. 

To me, you know, I mean, in all due respect, this is sort of disgraceful. And, as the former solicitor for labor, it seems like it 

should be a source of embarrassment, to be honest. 

And maybe you could explain why giving workers a chance to 

have their anti-discrimination claims heard before an administrative law judge is unwarranted. Isn’t giving someone—as an attorney—someone due process—the American way? And I do recall, 
97 

even at the beginning of the 2000 administration, I guess, of President Bush, there was a move to actually change OSHA, where it 

was being proposed that OSHA inspectors be paid by the company, 

and that the results would not be made public—that it would only 

be given to the company, and they should, therefore, work for it. 

I recall, during the time, I guess, that you served—that there 

was, to me, sort of an assault on occupational safety. So I just wondered if maybe you can clarify your record as solicitor general, and 

your work with the Department of Labor at that time. 

I mean, those were the days when we saw the move to do away 

with overtime. We had this whole business of flex time, where you 

work overtime, but then you would give time at some other period. 

And, therefore, overtime was not work. It seemed to me that that 

was really an assault on workers’ rights. Maybe you can—— 

Mr. SNARE. I would be happy to, Congressman Payne. 

As to your statistic about the whistleblowers getting to the 

ALJ—I mean the one thing you need to—everyone needs to understand, in the committee—there are a number of variety of whistleblower statutes—I think it may be up to 14 now—that OSHA investigates. And the procedures under those—each of those statutes—is different in some—in a number of cases. 

As a first step, OSHA will conduct an investigation and determine whether there is any merit to the complaint. And in a certain 

percentage—and it varies by statute—they will find a no-merit 

finding and issue a letter accordingly. And, then, there are a variety of other steps by which the complainant—and if there is a 

merit finding, then they go on. The case can, in some cases—goes 

to a contested-case proceeding—and the complainant is either represented by private counsel or, in some cases, the solicitor’s office. 

And then the process will continue. A lot of these cases will settle 

along the way. So the 6 percent figure you are citing—it, frankly, 

may not be completely clear as to the number of whistleblowers 

that, ultimately, are getting the right to have the case adjudicated. 

A lot of them are settling the cases in advance; or, separately, 

OSHA has issued a no-merit finding based on OSHA, and the career officials and employees of OSHA that are conducting the investigation are finding that there is no merit to that particular 

complaint. 

The proposal that you mentioned about the investigators paid by 

private employers—I am not familiar with that at all. I have no understanding of whether that was—what proposal that was, or who 

offered it. 

And as to the other issues you mentioned, including overtime— 

as I mentioned in my written statement, I am proud of the record 

we had of the department at OSHA. And if you look at the overtime statistics, frankly, there is an increase in employees getting 

overtime under the reforms in 2004. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Okay. Thank you. 

I have two questions for Mr. Frumin—or two subjects I would 

like you to comment on. 

One, I would like to hear your perspective on ‘‘knowing’’ versus 

‘‘willful,’’ and I would like to hear your perspective regarding ‘‘adversarial’’ versus ‘‘safe,’’ or ‘‘adversarial’’ versus ‘‘leveling the playing field’’ for the—most of the employers who are good at—employ-
98 

ers—versus those who would consider fines—especially these low 

fines—as a cost of doing business. 

Mr. FRUMIN. Thank you, Ms. Woolsey. 

With regard to the question of ‘‘knowing’’ versus ‘‘willful,’’ I 

would defer to the Justice Department’s testimony about the importance of adopting the ‘‘knowing’’ definition. But a commonsense 

understanding tells us that if a prosecutor has to prove that you 

were actually—that you knew that you were actually violating the 

law—that requires a much higher degree of proof than simply proving that you were aware of the dangerous conditions themselves. 

And if it is good enough for the Justice Department and good 

enough for the Supreme Court, and it is widely used in every other 

statute—or comparable statutes—then, I think, Mr. Snare’s concern about introducing confusion is actually quite misplaced. 

What is confusing is when prosecutors are handed a standard of 

proof, like ‘‘willful,’’ now—and, frankly, they have no experience 

with it—and it makes it quite difficult for them. 

So I think we need to move to clarity. 

And then on a—quickly, on the other point—I am sorry. I have 

forgotten what it was. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. ‘‘Adversarial’’ versus ‘‘leveling the playing’’—— 

Mr. FRUMIN. Oh, yes. 

Listen, there are plenty of examples of employers and their employees getting along, and working well on safety. And we could 

provide examples of those for the record. But there is no substitute 

for a strict enforcement program. And that is true not only with 

worker safety—and with environmental safety and so forth. 

We need to have the incentives and deterrent built into this law 

so that what happened in the Cintas Company never happens 

again—when an employer knows about the problem, knows where 

it is, because it is its own equipment, and fails to do anything 

about it. And if we allow companies to think that they can just get 

away with it, because there is no strict enforcement. You know 

what? Too many of them will, and will continue with, you know, 

horrendous conditions that we see erupting in different workplaces. 

Thank you. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Okay. Thank you. 

Congressman Payne? 

Mr. PAYNE. Yes. 

Mr. Snare, in your testimony, you stated that, in your opinion, 

eliminating the loophole in OSHA which allows employers to postpone abatement of serious violations pending litigation of their case 

is unjustified and outrageously tampering of due-process right. 

This appears to be contradicted by the provisions of the Mine Act. 

Are you familiar with that? 

Mr. SNARE. Yes, I am, generally, Congressman Payne. 

I mean, again—— 

Mr. PAYNE. Yes, do you feel that—you know, that it is contradictory? 

Mr. SNARE. Again, what I would say in response to the question 

is the position that I outlined. Changing the OSH Act to require 

immediate abatement—as I mentioned in my written statement— 

it causes employers concerns. 
99 

It is an adverse impact on their due-process rights. Again, you 

have got to look at—the OSH Act covers a wide range of industries, 

with a wide range of procedures and processes. Some of them involve performance-oriented standards, like process safety management, which are very different from the application of MSHA and 

the Mine Act, which have much more limited set of circumstances. 

And the employer, under the OSH Act, has the right to adjudicate and contest a citation if they believe in their own honest 

judgment that the agency has improperly issued a citation. And 

this gives them the right to do so without having to abate a hazard. 

It is like asking them to admit and confess to a crime before they 

have even had their rights adjudicated. 

Now, again, in certain circumstances where there is an imminent 

danger or a problem on the job site, there already is a mechanism 

under Section 13 of the OSH Act to come in and—for the agency 

to come in and put a shutdown order because there is imminent 

danger. And that would reduce the danger to employees. 

You heard Mr. Fairfax talk about that. We did it several times 

when I was at the agency. I had a number of discussions with Mr. 

Fairfax about it at the time. 

So there already is a power and authority to do that under the 

OSH Act, currently. 

Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Frumin? Yes? 

Mr. FRUMIN. Mr. Payne, if I might, I think there is a bit of baitand-switch going on here. Mr. Snare is equating the administrative-law provisions of OSHA enforcement with a criminal proceeding. And it—it is simply not appropriate to do that. 

To say that an employer who has been cited by OSHA for violating a standard in a civil proceeding, where OSHA feels they 

have the facts—these are serious violations—they could hurt someone—could even kill someone—to say that, for that employer to 

have to fix that while they are challenging the penalty is like ‘‘accepting a sentence in a criminal proceeding’’—I mean, this is completely inappropriate. 

The fact is that workers continue to be exposed after OSHA inspectors go on-site, develop a case, run it by their supervisors. The 

overwhelming number of OSHA violations every single year, 

whether employers contest them or not, end up being—staying on 

the books. And to put this on its head and say—as if employers 

have—you know, are—by and large, they walk off scot-free—OSHA 

gets it wrong. This is simply untrue. 

OSHA inspectors are professionals. Most of the overwhelming 

number of violations stay on the books—even the ones that employers challenge. And workers are the ones who are paying the price 

by continuing to be exposed because of this loophole in the abatement process. 

Mr. PAYNE. Thank you very much. 

Mr. Snare, during the time of the two tragic mine accidents in— 

I think it was 2005 and 2006—were you with the department of— 

what was your position then? 

Mr. SNARE. You are referring to—there were three tragedies in 

early 2006; one starting on January 2nd at Sago Mine. And there 

was Americoma and Darby, I believe, throughout the spring of 

2006. And, then, there was a subsequent tragedy out in Utah, in 
100 

2007, at Crandall Canyon. During the early 2006 timeframe, I was 

the head of OSHA. And, then, starting the summer of 2006, I was 

the deputy solicitor. And in 2007, I was actually the solicitor, and 

was involved in a number of those matters and investigations. 

Mr. PAYNE. Well, since that time, as you know, we have passed 

legislation that, in my opinion—the things that we had to—you 

know, people say, ‘‘Government is best which governs least.’’ But 

when those in charge tend not to try to work on behalf of the worker—some of the things that we imposed with the Miner Act seemed 

like they were things that should have been already procedures in 

the mines. 

And do you think that it—we were unjust by coming down hard 

on the mine owners—the mine industry, when we came up with 

the new regulations? 

Mr. SNARE. I am not sure—I guess, for your general proposition, 

it is hard for me to comment on that. I don’t necessarily think it 

was unjust. The Miner Act was passed in the judgment of Congress, and signed into law, by the president. And, again, there was 

strong enforcement in MSHA, I believe, before those accidents occurred. And there was certainly strong enforcement at MSHA after 

those accidents occurred. 

And there were—even in the year or two prior to those three accidents, mine fatalities were, I believe, at their lowest level ever— 

either in 2004 or 2005. So, again, things were working. There were 

accidents. The Congress, in their judgment, passed an act, and the 

president signed it into law, and then we enforced it. And, there 

were also a number of things that were going on at MSHA during 

the last administration, including utilizing a 30-year-old provision 

under ‘‘pattern of violation’’ that, again, was strong enforcement. 

The record is clear under the facts. The agency had a strong enforcement program at the time. 

Mr. PAYNE. My time has expired. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. For concluding remarks, Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers. 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. 

You know, from a committee standpoint, there is no greater asset 

than an employee. And we should all be committed to ensuring 

that our employees are working in the safest environment possible. 

The statistics reveal that the workplace safety is improving. The 

fatality rate has dropped 14% since 2001. And injury and illnesses 

has steadily dropped 21% over the same timeframe. 

It seems a cooperative approach is the best approach. And I 

speak from a Washington state perspective where, by and large, we 

have taken a more collaborative approach. And it has has resulted 

in an effective relationship between our state plans administered 

through labor and industries, the employers, and labor. 

As we have heard here today, I think we have to be careful not 

to create a hostile environment between OSHA and employers, 

which doesn’t make a safer workplace. Instead, let us foster an atmosphere that ensures a proactive approach that makes employers 

welcome OSHA and the agency’s experience to improve safety and 

health. 

If we decide to legislate in this area, I hope that that will be 

taken into consideration. 
101 

At this time, I would also like to introduce the following statements for the record—one from Coalition for Workplace Safety, and 

another from the Associated Builders and Contractors. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Without objection. 

[The information follows:] 

Prepared Statement of the Coalition for Workplace Safety (CWS) 

The Coalition for Workplace Safety (CWS) is a broad coalition comprised of associations and employers who believe in improving workplace safety through cooperation, assistance, transparency, clarity, and accountability. The Coalition believes 

that workplace safety is everyone’s concern. Improving safety can only happen when 

all parties—employers, employees, and OSHA—have a strong working relationship. 

We thank you for this opportunity to express our views on the Protecting America’s 

Workers Act (PAWA), and, specifically, the proposed changes being discussed here 

today. 

Workplace Safety Is Improving 

Workplace safety has steadily improved over the last 40 years and BLS data 

shows that workplaces are safer than now than they have ever been. Workplace fatalities have declined 23 percent since 1994. This drop occurred even as the workforce expanded, with the economy adding 23 million new jobs over the same time 

period. Workplace injury and illness rates have shown a similar drop. Since 1994, 

the total case rate has declined by 50 percent and the lost days from work rate has 

declined by 44 percent. While the government’s reporting system may not capture 

every workplace injury or illness, the data undeniably reveals the trend of declining 

workplace injury and illness rates. 

This decline is the product of various factors, including employers, employees, 

OSHA, insurers, safety experts and business and professional associations working 

together to increase understanding about safe work practices and their importance 

and how employers and employees can reduce workplace accidents. The advent of 

modern communications and the internet have also facilitated sharing information 

and safety related guidance. 

CWS applauds OSHA for its role in decreasing injuries, illnesses and fatalities, 

in particular its work in the last 15 years to promote workplace safety through outreach and education. Since its inception, OSHA has established standards employers must meet through its regulations and enforcement activities. For the first 25 

years, the agency did not, however, focus on assisting employers and employees to 

understand OSHA standards and related safe work practices. Beginning in the Clinton Administration, this changed and OSHA developed an array of approaches that 

focused on educating and working cooperatively with employers to improve workplace safety. The CWS is committed to supporting these approaches as they have 

contributed to the increase in workplace safety—as indicated by the BLS workplace 

injuries and illness rates. 

PAWA Will Not Improve Workplace Safety 

CWS is concerned about several of the provisions in the Protecting America’s 

Workers Act (S. 1580/H.R. 2067). 

PAWA is unnecessary and will not improve workplace safety. It focuses on increasing penalties and enforcement and does nothing to assist employers in their 

efforts to make workplaces safer. Increasing penalties on employers will only serve 

to increase litigation, drain OSHA and DOL resources and harm our economy and 

hinder job growth. 

Experience with the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reinforces 

this point. A hearing in the Education and Labor Committee on February 23, revealed that as a result of the increased penalties from the MINER Act passed in 

2006 and MSHA’s regulations taking effect in 2007, the backlog at the review commission is now 16,000 cases worth $195 million, and expected to rise further as the 

current policy at MSHA is to not engage in settlements. This backlog has impacted 

safety in the mining industry by absorbing an unprecedented amount of MSHA resources which would otherwise be devoted to field and other activities. Increasing 

OSHA’s penalty regimes in a similar way will neither increase safety in the workplace nor give employers the tools necessary to create solutions towards workplace 

safety. Our concerns with some of the specific aspects of PAWA that are being discussed today are set forth below in more detail. 
102 

Abatement of Hazards Pending Contest 

The change to Title III, Abatement of Hazards Pending Contest, eliminates the 

employers’ right to use the administrative appeals process to thoroughly investigate 

its obligation to abate serious hazards. This is a dangerous diminishment, if not outright elimination, of due process protections for employers. Mandating abatement 

before a review process can be completed is like asking a defendant in a court case 

to pay a fine or serve a sentence before the completion of the trial. Additionally, requiring abatement prior to a full investigation may lead to inaccurate changes to 

be made, which can lead to unnecessary costs for employers. Conversely, allowing 

due process to proceed in the normal order will allow employers—especially small 

businesses—the time and resources needed to find solutions to any workplace safety 

issues. This is the best way to keep workers safe on the job. OSHA already has the 

ability to seek injunction in cases where there is an imminent danger and the employer refuses to abate the hazard. 

Penalty Changes 

The proposed changes to criminal penalties under Title III would alter the mental 

state requirements for criminal penalties from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing.’’ While we 

agree those who intentionally violate the law should be held accountable, this is a 

significant change to 40 years of settled law that will cause uncertainty among employers, employees, compliance officers, prosecutors and adjudicators. The uncertainty about potential liability would cause employers to engage in a more defensive 

posture with OSHA and on workplace safety issues. Not only will this inevitability 

result in increased litigation, but would severely disrupt the cooperative approach 

towards workplace safety that has been so successful over the past 15 years. 

Furthermore, the language changes the definition of employer in the currently 

proposed PAWA from ‘‘any responsible corporate officer’’ to ‘‘an officer or director.’’ 

The original PAWA language will create unprecedented confusion and disincentives 

to being a corporate officer, but this new language is a startlingly vague change that 

will result in a further focus on litigation avoidance and not workplace safety. This 

proposed change would have a chilling effect on how employers dedicate staff and 

resources that maintain safety programs. These changes do nothing to give employers—especially small businesses—the tools to stay well-informed of safety concerns 

in the workplace. Increasing penalties and lawsuits does not get to the heart of the 

problem necessary to find solutions in the workplace. 

The bill would also increase civil penalties dramatically which will also lead to 

more contested cases with the associated impacts already noted above. 

Conclusion 

The Coalition on Workplace Safety continues to stand ready to work with OSHA 

and Congress to enhance workplace safety. However, PAWA—and the changes presented here—undermine efforts to promote cooperative engagement between employers and the agency, and will not assist employers in making workplaces safer. 

We will continue to work towards the goal of increasing workplace safety by working together through cooperation, assistance, transparency, clarity, and accountability. 

ASSOCIATED BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS, 

March 16, 2010. 

Hon. LYNN WOOLSEY, Chair; Hon. CATHY MCMORRIS RODGERS, Ranking Member, 

Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, 112 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 

DEAR CHAIRWOMAN WOOLSEY AND RANKING MEMBER MCMORRIS RODGERS: On behalf of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), a national association with 77 

chapters representing 25,000 merit shop construction and construction—related 

firms with 2 million employees, we appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement as part of today’s Subcommittee hearing entitled, ‘‘Protecting America’s Worker Act: Modernizing OSHA Penalties.’’ ABC and its members are ardent advocates 

of workplace safety, which is demonstrated through our proven record of cooperation 

and collaboration with OSHA and dedication to workplace safety education and 

training. ABC, however, strongly opposes H.R. 2067, Protecting America’s Workers 

Act (PAWA). We believe, if enacted, the PAWA will increase litigation, creative disincentive for cooperation between employers, associations and OSHA, while failing 

to improve workplace safety and health. 

Over the years, ABC and its 77 chapters nationwide have had the privilege of 

building excellent working relationships with OSHA’s national, regional and area offices. OSHA staff members have addressed ABC members at our annual Construc-
103 

tion Education Conference, worked with our chapters to conduct safety training 

courses throughout the country. Communication between both OSHA and ABC 

members has increased understanding of workplace safety, which has contributed 

to the decrease in the number of fatalities and injuries in the construction industry 

since 1994. 

The PAWA changes to OSH Act’s penalty scheme, in particular change in mens 

rea requirements for criminal liability from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing’’ and the broadening to the definition of employers from ‘‘any responsible corporate officer’’ to ‘‘officer or director,’’ would create uncertainty that will lead to increased litigation and 

create a more combative relationship between OSHA and employers. This will likely 

negatively impact cooperative programs, which have been effective in promoting 

workplace safety. 

We also oppose the PAWA’s provision requiring immediate abatement and the 

limits the provision imposes on an employer’s ability to challenge a citation. This 

denies employers due process rights and OSHA already has the authority to seek 

an injunction if a hazard poses an imminent threat. 

The construction industry is already strained with job loss, with unemployment 

at 27.1 percent—nearly three times the national average, and adding more bureaucratic layers to an already burdened industry is not conducive to expedient economic 

recovery. Jobsite safety and health is a top priority for ABC, whose objective is to 

have ‘‘zero accident’’ worksites. 

ABC supports legislation that seeks to protect our members’ most important 

asset—their employees. This must be achieved through legislation and regulations, 

which provide consistent enforcement, incentive programs to increase compliance, 

and education efforts, rather than efforts that will increase litigation, stifle cooperative programs and deny employer due process rights. We look forward to working 

with the Committee to address our concerns with this legislation. 

Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS. Thank you, and I yield back. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Thank you very much. 

Thank you all for attending this legislative hearing on the penalty provisions of Protecting America’s Workers Act, PAWA. 

As our witnesses have testified, it has been 40 years since the 

OSH Act was amended. And in those 40 years, we have learned a 

lot about what is working and what needs changing. PAWA modernizes the OSH Act, and gives OSHA the tools it needs to keep 

workers safe and healthy. 

I am looking forward to this bill proceeding through the committee and to the floor for a vote. 

Before we adjourn, or I turn—well, before we adjourn, without 

objection, I would like to place the following documents into the 

record: H.R. 2067, the Protecting America Workers Act; number 

two, summary of proposed changes in H.R. 2067, and clarification 

of the standards; three, March 9, 2010 discussion draft; four, table 

comparing civil and criminal penalties under the current Occupational Safety and Health Act and H.R. 2067; five, April 29, 2008 

report by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, ‘‘Discounting Death: OSHA’s Failure to Punish Safety Violations That Kill Workers;’’ six, letter from the governor of Wyoming in support of the penalty increases in H.R. 2067; seven, statement of Peg Seminario, health and safety director, AFL-CIO; eight, 

letter from the American Industrial Hygiene Association; nine, 

statement of Thomasina Rogers, chair of the Occupational Safe and 

Health Review Commission; ten, letter from Tonya Ford concerning 

the death of her uncle Robert Fitch, with attachments; and, eleven, 

tables showing current maximum civil penalties adjusted for inflation, 2000 to 2010. 

[The information follows:] 
104 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2067 

To amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to expand coverage under the Act, to increase protections for whistleblowers, to increase penalties for certain violators, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

April 23, 2009 

MS. WOOLSEY (for herself, Mr. Abercrombie, Ms. Berkley, Mr. 

Brady of Pennsylvania, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Hare, Mr. Hinchey, Ms. 

Hirono, Mr. Holt, Mrs. Maloney, Mr. George Miller of California, 

Mr. Payne, Mr. Rothman of New Jersey, Ms. Schakowsky, Ms. 

Shea-Porter, Mr. Yarmuth, and Mr. McGovern) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education 

and Labor 

A BILL 

To amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to expand coverage under the Act, to increase protections for whistleblowers, to increase penalties for certain violators, and for 

other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of 

America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting America’s Workers Act’’. 

SEC. 2. REFERENCES. 

Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this Act an amendment or 

repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other 

provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.). 

TITLE I—COVERAGE AND APPLICATION OF 

ACT 

SEC. 101. COVERAGE OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES. 

(a) In General.—Section 3(5) (29 U.S.C. 652(5)) is amended by striking ‘‘but does 

not include’’ and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting ‘‘including the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State.’’. 

(b) Construction.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the application 

of section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 667). 

SEC. 102. APPLICATION OF ACT. 

Section 4(b) (29 U.S.C. 653(b)(1)) is amended—— 

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) as paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), 

respectively; and 

(2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(1) If a Federal agency has promulgated and is enforcing a standard or regulation 

affecting occupational safety or health of some or all of the employees within that 

agency’s regulatory jurisdiction, and the Secretary determines that such a standard 

or regulation as promulgated and the manner in which the standard or regulation 

is being enforced provides protection to those employees that is at least as effective 

as the protection provided to those employees by this Act and the Secretary’s en-
105 

forcement of this Act, the Secretary may publish a certification notice in the Federal 

Register. The notice shall set forth that determination and the reasons for the determination and certify that the Secretary has ceded jurisdiction to that Federal agency with respect to the specified standard or regulation affecting occupational safety 

or health. In determining whether to cede jurisdiction to a Federal agency, the Secretary shall seek to avoid duplication of, and conflicts between, health and safety 

requirements. Such certification shall remain in effect unless and until rescinded by 

the Secretary. 

‘‘(2) The Secretary shall, by regulation, establish procedures by which any person 

who may be adversely affected by a decision of the Secretary certifying that the Secretary has ceded jurisdiction to another Federal agency pursuant to paragraph (1) 

may petition the Secretary to rescind a certification notice under paragraph (1). 

Upon receipt of such a petition, the Secretary shall investigate the matter involved 

and shall, within 90 days after receipt of the petition, publish a decision with respect to the petition in the Federal Register. 

‘‘(3) Any person who may be adversely affected by—— 

‘‘(A) a decision of the Secretary certifying that the Secretary has ceded jurisdiction 

to another Federal agency pursuant to paragraph (1); or 

‘‘(B) a decision of the Secretary denying a petition to rescind such a certification 

notice under paragraph (1), 

may, not later than 60 days after such decision is published in the Federal Register, file a petition challenging such decision with the United States court of appeals for the circuit in which such person resides or such person has a principal 

place of business, for judicial review of such decision. A copy of the petition shall 

be forthwith transmitted by the clerk of the court to the Secretary. The Secretary’s 

decision shall be set aside if found to be arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, 

or otherwise not in accordance with law. 

‘‘(4) Nothing in this Act shall apply to working conditions covered by the Federal 

Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 801 et seq.).’’. 

TITLE II—INCREASING PROTECTIONS FOR 

WHISTLE BLOWERS 

SEC. 201. EMPLOYEE ACTIONS. 

Section 11(c)(1) (29 U.S.C. 660(c)(1)) is amended by inserting before the period at 

the end the following: ‘‘, including reporting any injury, illness, or unsafe condition 

to the employer, agent of the employer, safety and health committee involved, or 

employee safety and health representative involved’’. 

SEC. 202. PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION. 

Section 11(c) (29 U.S.C. 660(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(2) No person shall discharge or in any manner discriminate against an employee 

for refusing to perform the employee’s duties if the employee has a reasonable apprehension that performing such duties would result in serious injury to, or serious 

impairment of the health of, the employee or other employees. The circumstances 

causing the employee’s apprehension of serious injury or serious impairment of 

health shall be of such a nature that a reasonable person, under the circumstances 

confronting the employee, would conclude that there is a bona fide danger of a serious injury, or serious impairment of health, resulting from the circumstances. In 

order to qualify for protection under this paragraph, the employee, when practicable, 

shall have sought from the employee’s employer, and have been unable to obtain, 

a correction of the circumstances causing the refusal to perform the employee’s duties.’’. 

SEC. 203. PROCEDURE. 

Section 11(c) (29 U.S.C. 660(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(3) Any employee who believes that the employee has been discharged, disciplined, or otherwise discriminated against by any person in violation of paragraph 

(1) or (2) may, within 180 days after such alleged violation occurs, file (or have filed 

by any person on the employee’s behalf) a complaint with the Secretary alleging 

that such discharge or discrimination violates paragraph (1) or (2). Upon receipt of 

such a complaint, the Secretary shall notify the person named in the complaint (referred to in this subsection as the ‘respondent’) of the filing of the complaint. 

‘‘(4)(A)(i) Not later than 60 days after the receipt of a complaint filed under paragraph (3), the Secretary shall conduct an investigation and determine whether there 
106 

is reasonable cause to believe that the complaint has merit. During the investigation, the Secretary shall notify the respondent of the charges made in the complaint, 

and shall provide such person with an opportunity to meet with the inspector conducting the investigation, to submit a response to such charges, and to present witnesses to rebut such charges. The Secretary shall also consider the result of any 

grievance proceeding provided for in a collective bargaining agreement, that may 

have been held with respect to such charges. Upon completion of the investigation, 

the Secretary shall issue findings and notify the complainant and the respondent 

of the Secretary’s findings. If the Secretary has concluded that there is reasonable 

cause to believe that a violation has occurred, the Secretary’s findings shall be accompanied by a preliminary order providing the relief prescribed by subparagraph 

(B). 

‘‘(ii)(I) Not later than 30 days after the Secretary has issued findings under clause 

(i), either the respondent or the complainant may file objections to the findings or 

preliminary order, and request a hearing on the record, except that the filing of 

such objections shall not operate to stay any reinstatement remedy contained in the 

preliminary order. 

‘‘(II) If a hearing described in subclause (I) is not requested in the 30-day period 

described in such subclause with respect to a preliminary order, the order shall be 

deemed to be a final order and not subject to judicial review. 

‘‘(iii) If the Secretary does not issue findings under clause (i) with respect to a 

complaint within 90 days after the receipt of the complaint, the complainant may 

request a hearing on the record on the complaint. 

‘‘(iv) The Secretary shall expeditiously conduct a hearing requested under clause 

(ii) or (iii). Upon the conclusion of such hearing, the Secretary shall issue a final 

order within 120 days. Until the issuance of a final order, such hearing may be terminated at any time on the basis of a settlement agreement entered into by the Secretary, the complainant, and the respondent. 

‘‘(B)(i) If, in response to a complaint filed under paragraph (3), the Secretary determines that a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) has occurred, in issuing an order 

under subparagraph (A)(iv), the Secretary shall require—— 

‘‘(I) the respondent who committed such violation to correct the violation; 

‘‘(II) such respondent to reinstate the complainant to the complainant’s former position together with the compensation (including backpay), terms, conditions, and 

privileges of the complainant’s employment; and 

‘‘(III) such respondent to pay compensatory damages. 

‘‘(ii) On issuing an order requiring a remedy described in clause (i), the Secretary, 

at the request of the complainant, may assess against the respondent against whom 

the order is issued a sum equal to the aggregate amount of all costs and expenses 

(including attorney’s fees) reasonably incurred, as determined by the Secretary, by 

the complainant for, or in connection with a complaint upon which the order was 

issued. 

‘‘(5)(A) Any person adversely affected or aggrieved by an order issued after a hearing conducted under paragraph (4)(A) may obtain review of the order in the United 

States court of appeals for the circuit in which the violation, with respect to which 

the order was issued, allegedly occurred, or the circuit in which such person resided 

on the date of such violation. The petition for review shall be filed within 60 days 

after the issuance of the Secretary’s order. Such review shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code. The court shall 

conduct the review and issue a decision expeditiously. 

‘‘(B) If a respondent fails to comply with an order issued under paragraph (4)(A), 

the Secretary shall file a civil action in the United States district court for the district in which the violation was found to occur in order to enforce such order. In 

actions brought under this subparagraph, the district court shall have jurisdiction 

to grant all appropriate relief, including injunctive relief, reinstatement, and compensatory damages. 

‘‘(6) The legal burdens of proof set forth in section 1221(e) of title 5, United States 

Code, shall govern adjudication of violations under this subsection.’’. 

SEC. 204. RELATION TO ENFORCEMENT. 

Section 17(j) (29 U.S.C. 666(j)) is amended by inserting before the period the following: ‘‘, including the history of violations, under section 11(c)’’. 
107 

TITLE III—INCREASING PENALTIES FOR 

VIOLATORS 

SEC. 301. POSTING OF EMPLOYEE RIGHTS. 

Section 8(c)(1) (29 U.S.C. 657(c)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following 

new sentence: ‘‘Such regulations shall include provisions requiring employers to post 

for employees information on the protections afforded under section 11(c).’’. 

SEC. 302. PROHIBITION ON DISCOURAGING EMPLOYEE REPORTS OF INJURY OR ILLNESS. 

Section 8(c)(2) (29 U.S.C. 657(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following 

new sentence: ‘‘Such regulations shall prohibit the adoption or implementation of 

policies or practices by the employer that discourage the reporting of work-related 

injuries or illnesses by any employee or in any manner discriminate or provide for 

adverse action against any employee for reporting a work-related injury or illness.’’ 

SEC. 303. NO LOSS OF EMPLOYEE PAY FOR INSPECTIONS. 

Section 8(e) (29 U.S.C. 657) is amended by inserting after the first sentence the 

following: ‘‘Time spent by an employee participating in or aiding any such inspection 

shall be deemed to be hours worked and no employee shall suffer any loss of wages, 

benefits, or other terms and conditions of employment for having participated in or 

aided any such inspection.’’. 

SEC. 304. INVESTIGATIONS OF FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INCIDENTS. 

Section 8 (29 U.S.C. 657) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 

‘‘(i)(1) The Secretary shall investigate any incident resulting in death or serious 

incident, that occurs in a place of employment covered by this Act. 

‘‘(2) If an incident resulting in death or serious incident occurs in a place of employment covered by this Act, the employer shall notify the Secretary of the incident 

involved and shall take appropriate measures to prevent the destruction or alteration of any evidence that would assist in investigating the incident. The appropriate measures required by this paragraph do not prevent an employer from taking 

action on a worksite to prevent injury to employees or substantial damage to property. If an employer takes such action, the employer shall notify the Secretary of 

the action in a timely fashion. 

‘‘(3) In this subsection: 

‘‘(A) Incident resulting in death.—The term ‘incident resulting in death’ means an 

incident that results in the death of an employee. 

‘‘(B) Serious incident.—The term ‘serious incident’ means an incident that results 

in the hospitalization of 2 or more employees.’’. 

SEC. 305. PROHIBITION ON UNCLASSIFIED CITATIONS. 

Section 9 (29 U.S.C. 658) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(d) The Secretary may not designate a citation issued under this section as an 

unclassified citation.’’. 

SEC. 306. VICTIMS’ RIGHTS. 

The Act is amended by inserting after section 9 (29 U.S.C. 658) the following: 

‘‘SEC. 9A. VICTIM’S RIGHTS. 

‘‘(a) Definition.—In this section, the term ‘victim’ means—— 

‘‘(1) an employee who has sustained a work-related injury or illness that is the 

subject of an inspection or investigation conducted under section 8, or 

‘‘(2) a family member of an employee, if—— 

‘‘(A) the employee is killed as a result of a workrelated injury or illness that is the subject of an inspection or investigation conducted under section 8; or 

‘‘(B) the employee sustains a work-related injury or illness that is the subject of 

an inspection or investigation conducted under section 8, and the employee cannot 

reasonably exercise the employee’s rights under this section. 

‘‘(b) Rights.—On request, a victim or the representative of a victim, shall be afforded the right, with respect to a work-related injury or illness (including a death 

resulting from a work-related injury or illness) involving an employee, to—— 

‘‘(1) meet with the Secretary, or an authorized representative of the Secretary, regarding the inspection or investigation conducted under section 8 concerning the 

employee’s injury or illness before the Secretary’s decision to issue a citation or take 

no action; and 
108 

‘‘(2)(A) receive, at no cost, a copy of any citation or report, issued as a result of 

such inspection or investigation, on the later of the date the citation or report is 

issued and the date of the request; 

‘‘(B) be informed of any notice of contest filed under section 10; and 

‘‘(C) be provided an explanation of the rights of employee and employee representatives to participate in proceedings conducted under section 10. 

‘‘(c) Modification of Citation.—Before entering into an agreement to withdraw or 

modify a citation issued as a result of an inspection or investigation of an incident 

resulting in death or serious incident under section 8, the Secretary, on request, 

shall provide an opportunity to the victim or the representative of a victim to appear 

and make a statement before the parties conducting settlement negotiations. 

‘‘(d) Notification and Review.—The Secretary shall establish procedures—— 

‘‘(1) to inform victims of their rights under this section; and 

‘‘(2) for the informal review of any claim of a denial of such a right.’’. 

SEC. 307. RIGHT TO CONTEST CITATIONS AND PENALTIES. 

The first sentence of section 10(c) (29 U.S.C. 659(c)) is amended—— 

(1) by inserting after ‘‘the issuance of a citation’’ the following: ‘‘(including a modification of a citation issued)’’; and 

(2) by inserting after ‘‘files a notice with the Secretary alleging’’ the following: 

‘‘that the citation fails properly to designate the violation as serious, willful, or repeated, that the proposed penalty is not adequate, or’’. 

SEC. 308. ABATEMENT OF SERIOUS HAZARDS DURING EMPLOYER CONTESTS TO A CITATION. 

(a) Citations and Enforcement.—Section 10(b) (29 U.S.C. 659(b)) is amended—— 

(1) by inserting after ‘‘which period’’ the following: ‘‘for other than serious violations’’; and 

(2) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘In lieu of providing the notification required by this subsection, where a notice of contest to a citation is pending before 

the Commission, the Secretary may by appropriate motion in that proceeding assert 

that the employer has failed to abate the violation within the time period fixed in 

the citation.’’. 

(b) Employer Contest.—Section 10(c) (29 U.S.C. 659) is amended by inserting after 

the first sentence the following: ‘‘The pendency of a contest before the Commission 

shall not bar the Secretary from inspecting a place of employment or from issuing 

a citation under section 9.’’. 

SEC. 309. OBJECTIONS TO MODIFICATION OF CITATIONS. 

Section 10 (29 U.S.C. 659) is amended by adding at the end the following new 

subsection: 

‘‘(d)(1) If the Secretary intends to withdraw or to modify a citation issued under 

section 9(a) as a result of any agreement with the cited employer, the Secretary 

shall provide (in accordance with rules of procedure prescribed by the Commission) 

prompt notice to affected employees or representatives of affected employees, and 

that notice shall include the terms of the proposed agreement. 

‘‘(2) Not later than 15 working days after the receipt of a notice provided in accordance with paragraph (1), any employee or representative of employees, regardless of whether such employee or representative has previously elected to participate 

in the proceedings involved, shall have the right to file a notice with the Secretary 

alleging that the proposed agreement fails to effectuate the purposes of this Act and 

stating the respects in which the agreement fails to effectuate the purposes. 

‘‘(3) Upon receipt of a notice filed under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall consider the statements presented in the notice, and if the Secretary determines to proceed with the proposed agreement, the Secretary shall respond with particularity to 

the statements presented in the notice. 

‘‘(4) Not later than 15 working days following the Secretary’s response provided 

pursuant to paragraph (3), the employee or representative of employees shall, on 

making a request to the Commission, be entitled to a hearing before the Commission as to whether adoption of the proposed agreement would effectuate the purposes of this Act, including a determination as to whether the proposed agreement 

would adequately abate the alleged violations alleged in the citation. 

‘‘(5) If the Commission determines that the proposed agreement fails to effectuate 

the purposes of this Act, the proposed agreement shall not be entered as an order 

of the Commission and the citation shall not be withdrawn or modified in accordance with the proposed agreement.’’. 

SEC. 310. CIVIL PENALTIES. 

(a) In General.—Section 17 (29 U.S.C. 666) is amended—— 

(1) in subsection (a)—— 
109 

(A) by striking ‘‘$70,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$120,000’’; 

(B) by striking ‘‘$5,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$8,000’’; and 

(C) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘If such a violation causes the death of 

an employee, such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not more than 

$250,000 for such violation, but not less than $50,000 for such violation, except that 

for an employer with 25 or fewer employees such penalty shall not be less than 

$25,000 for such violation.’’; 

(2) in subsection (b)—— 

(A) by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$12,000’’; and 

(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘If such a violation causes the death of 

an employee, such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not more than 

$50,000 for such violation, but not less than $20,000 for such violation, except that 

for an employer with 25 or fewer employees such penalty shall not be less than 

$10,000 for such violation.’’; 

(3) in subsection (c)—— 

(A) by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$12,000’’; and 

(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘If such a violation causes the death of 

an employee, such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not more than 

$50,000 for such violation, but not less than $20,000 for such violation, except that 

for an employer with 25 or fewer employees such penalty shall not be less than 

$10,000 for such violation.’’; 

(4) in subsection (d)—— 

(A) by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$12,000’’; and 

(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘If such a violation causes the death of 

an employee, such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not more than 

$50,000 for such violation, but not less than $20,000 for such violation, except that 

for an employer with 25 or fewer employees such penalty shall not be less than 

$10,000 for such violation.’’; 

(5) by redesignating subsections (e) through (l) as subsections (f) through (m), respectively; and 

(6) in subsection (j) (as redesignated in paragraph (5)), by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ and 

inserting ‘‘$12,000;’’. 

(b) Inflation Adjustment.—Section 17 (29 U.S.C. 666) (as amended by subsection 

(a)) is further amended by inserting after subsection (d) the following: 

‘‘(e) Amounts provided under this section for civil penalties shall be adjusted by 

the Secretary at least once during each 4-year period to account for the percentage 

increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers during 

such period.’’. 

SEC. 311. OSHA CRIMINAL PENALTIES. 

(a) In General.—Section 17 (29 U.S.C. 666) (as amended by section 310) is further 

amended—— 

(1) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows: 

‘‘(f)(1) Any employer who willfully violates any standard, rule, or order promulgated pursuant to section 6 of this Act, or of any regulations prescribed pursuant 

to this Act, and that violation caused death to any employee, shall, upon conviction, 

be punished by a fine in accordance with section 3571 of title 18, United States 

Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both; except that if the 

conviction is for a violation committed after a first conviction of such person under 

this subsection or subsection (i), punishment shall be by a fine in accordance with 

section 3571 of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 

20 years, or by both. 

‘‘(2) For the purpose of this subsection, the term ‘employer’ means, in addition to 

the definition contained in section 3 of this Act, any responsible corporate officer.’’; 

(2) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment 

for not more than six months,’’ and inserting ‘‘fine in accordance with section 3571 

of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 2 years,’’; 

(3) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than six months,’’ and inserting ‘‘fine in accordance with section 

3571 of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 5 

years,’’; 

(4) by redesignating subsections (j) through (m) as subsections (k) through (n), respectively; and 

(5) by inserting after subsection (i) the following: 

‘‘(j)(1) Any employer who willfully violates any standard, rule, or order promulgated pursuant to section 6, or any regulation prescribed pursuant to this Act, and 

that violation causes serious bodily injury to any employee but does not cause death 

to any employee, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine in accordance with 
110 

section 3571 of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 

5 years, or by both, except that if the conviction is for a violation committed after 

a first conviction of such person under this subsection or subsection (e), punishment 

shall be by a fine in accordance with section 3571 of title 18, United States Code, 

or by imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or by both. 

‘‘(2) For the purpose of this subsection, the term ‘employer’ means, in addition to 

the definition contained in section 3 of this Act, any responsible corporate officer.’’. 

(b) Definition.—Section 3 (29 U.S.C. 652) is amended by adding at the end the 

following: 

‘‘(15) The term ‘serious bodily injury’ means bodily injury that involves—— 

‘‘(A) a substantial risk of death; 

‘‘(B) protracted unconsciousness; 

‘‘(C) protracted and obvious physical disfigurement; or 

‘‘(D) protracted loss or impairment, of the function of a bodily member, organ, or 

mental faculty.’’. 

(c) Jurisdiction for Prosecution Under State and Local Criminal Laws.—Section 17 

(29 U.S.C. 666) (as amended by subsection (a)) is further amended by adding at the 

end the following: 

‘‘(o) Nothing in this Act shall preclude a State or local law enforcement agency 

from conducting criminal prosecutions in accordance with the laws of such State or 

locality.’’. 

TITLE IV—EFFECTIVE DATE 

SEC. 401. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

(a) General Rule.—Except as provided for in subsection (b), this Act and the 

amendments made by this Act shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment 

of this Act. 

(b) Exceptions for States and Political Subdivisions.—The following are exceptions 

to the effective date described in subsection (a): 

(1) A State that has a State plan approved under section 18 (29 U.S.C. 667) shall 

amend its State plan to conform with the requirements of this Act and the amendments made by this Act not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of 

this Act. Such amendments to the State plan shall take effect not later than 90 days 

after the adoption of such amendments by such State. 

(2) This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect not later than 

36 months after the date of the enactment of this Act in a State, or a political subdivision of a State, that does not have a State plan approved under section 18 (29 

U.S.C. 667). 

Summary of the Protecting America’s Workers Act (H.R. 2067) 

The Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA) makes significant changes to the 

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act), which was passed in order to ensure 

that employees work in safe and healthy workplaces. PAWA strengthens the OSH 

Act, which has not been significant altered since its original passage in 1970. 

Specifically, PAWA expands the OSH Act’s coverage to include state and local 

public employees, federal government workers and millions of other workers who 

are inadequately covered by other laws. These include employees who work for airlines, railroads and Department of Energy contractors who fall between the cracks 

because their health and safety coverage is left to other government agencies that 

don’t treat worker safety as a priority. 

PAWA raises civil penalties on employers for violations of the OSH Act, establishes mandatory minimum penalties for violations involving worker fatalities and 

indexes penalties to inflation. It authorizes felony criminal prosecutions against employers who commit willful violations that result in death or serious bodily injury 

and extends the reach of such penalties to responsible corporate officers. 

PAWA improves upon current whistleblower protections, including codifying regulations that give workers the right to refuse to do hazardous work. It clarifies that 

employees cannot be discriminated against for reporting injuries, illnesses or unsafe 

conditions, and brings the procedures for investigating and adjudicating discrimination complaints into line with other safety and health and whistleblower laws. 

The bill requires the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the 

health and safety arm of the Department of Labor, to investigate all cases of death 

and serious injuries (i.e. incidents that result in the hospitalization of 2 or more employees); it provides workers and employee representatives the right to contest 
111 

1 Rabinowitz, Randy (editor), Occupational Safety and Health Law, 2d Edition, ABA Section 

of Labor and Employment Law (2002), p. 269. 2Testimony of David Uhlmann before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Education and Labor (April 28, 2009. 

OSHA’s failure to issue citations, the characterization of citations that are issued 

and proposed penalties; and it gives injured workers and the families of workers injured or who have died in work-related incidents the right to meet with investigators, to receive copies of citations and to have an opportunity to appear and make 

a statement before parties involved in any settlement negotiation. 

In recent years, OSHA had reached settlement agreements with employers that, 

at the employer’s request, have changed the designation of willful citations to an 

‘‘unclassified’’ citation’s meaning that the employer avoids the potential consequences of having a ‘‘willful’’ OSHA violation on its record. PAWA prohibits OSHA 

from designating a citation as an unclassified citation. 

In addition, any worker or his or her representative can object to the modification 

or withdrawal of a citation due to a settlement with the employer on the grounds 

that the proposed agreement fails to ‘‘effectuate the purposes’’ of the OSH Act, and 

be entitled to a hearing before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. 

PAWA clarifies that the time spent by an employee accompanying an OSHA inspector during an investigation is considered ‘‘time worked,’’ for which a worker 

must be compensated. 

Since the passage of the OSH Act, much progress has been made. It has been reported that over 390,000 lives have been saved. Nonetheless, too many workers are 

still dying and millions of others are injured or become ill by working in unsafe and 

unhealthy conditions. The Protecting America’s Workers Act strengthens and enhances the OSH Act so that it can fully meet its promise to ensure safe and healthy 

workplaces for all Americans. 

Clarification of the Mens Rea Requirement 

Another proposed change would alter the mens rea (mental state) requirements 

for a criminal case from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing.’’ Under the introduced PAWA, an employer cannot be convicted under the criminal law unless that employer has acted 

‘‘willfully’’ and such willful act caused the death or serious injury to a worker. 

Courts interpreting the ‘‘willful’’ requirement under the OSH Act require proof that 

an employer has taken a ‘‘deliberate action with knowledge of the OSH Act’s requirements or with plain indifference to those requirements.’’ 1 Proof of malice is not 

required. In other criminal cases, the ‘‘wilfull’’ standard means that an actor knew 

his conduct was unlawful, or he acted with evil intent.2

Notwithstanding criminal mental state requirement under the OSH Act, the ‘‘willful’’ standard is not a familiar one in the criminal law context, and the norm is to 

require a ‘‘knowing’’ standard of proof in which an actor knows that his or her conduct was wrong. Under this standard, employers cannot escape liability by claiming 

that they did not know what the law required. Note: under either standard a prosecutor would still have to prove that an actor is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 

[DISCUSSION DRAFT] 

[AS OF MARCH 9, 2010] 

[Modifications to HR 2067, Protecting America’s Workers Act] 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. ll 

To amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to expand coverage under the Act, to increase protections for whistleblowers, to increase penalties for certain violators, and for 

other purposes. 
112 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MS. WOOLSEY introduced the following bill; which was referred to 

the Committee on lllllllllllllll 

A BILL 

To amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to expand coverage under the Act, to increase protections for whistleblowers, to increase penalties for certain violators, and for 

other purposes. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States 

of America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting America’s Workers Act’’. 

SEC. 2. REFERENCES. 

Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this Act an amendment or 

repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other 

provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.). 

TITLE I—COVERAGE OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES 

AND APPLICATION OF ACT 

SEC. 101. COVERAGE OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3(5) (29 U.S.C. 652(5)) is amended by striking ‘‘but 

does not include’’ and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting 

‘‘including the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a State.’’. 

(b) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect the application of section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 667). 

SEC. 102. APPLICATION OF ACT. 

Section 4(b) (29 U.S.C. 653(b)(1)) is amended— 

(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) as paragraphs (5), (6), and 

(7), respectively; and 

(2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(1) If a Federal agency has promulgated and is enforcing a standard or regulation affecting occupational safety or health of some or all of the employees within 

that agency’s regulatory jurisdiction, and the Secretary determines that such a 

standard or regulation as promulgated and the manner in which the standard or 

regulation is being enforced provides protection to those employees that is at least 

as effective as the protection provided to those employees by this Act and the Secretary’s enforcement of this Act, the Secretary may publish a certification notice in 

the Federal Register. The notice shall set forth that determination and the reasons 

for the determination and certify that the Secretary has ceded jurisdiction to that 

Federal agency with respect to the specified standard or regulation affecting occupational safety or health. In determining whether to cede jurisdiction to a Federal 

agency, the Secretary shall seek to avoid duplication of, and conflicts between, 

health and safety requirements. Such certification shall remain in effect unless and 

until rescinded by the Secretary. 

‘‘(2) The Secretary shall, by regulation, establish procedures by which any person who may be adversely affected by a decision of the Secretary certifying that the 

Secretary has ceded jurisdiction to another Federal agency pursuant to paragraph 

(1) may petition the Secretary to rescind a certification notice under paragraph (1). 

Upon receipt of such a petition, the Secretary shall investigate the matter involved 

and shall, within 90 days after receipt of the petition, publish a decision with respect to the petition in the Federal Register. 

‘‘(3) Any person who may be adversely affected by— 

‘‘(A) a decision of the Secretary certifying that the Secretary has ceded jurisdiction to another Federal agency pursuant to paragraph (1); or 
113 

‘‘(B) a decision of the Secretary denying a petition to rescind such a certification notice under paragraph (1), 

may, not later than 60 days after such decision is published in the Federal Register, 

file a petition challenging such decision with the United States court of appeals for 

the circuit in which such person resides or such person has a principal place of business, for judicial review of such decision. A copy of the petition shall be forthwith 

transmitted by the clerk of the court to the Secretary. The Secretary’s decision shall 

be set aside if found to be arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise 

not in accordance with law. 

‘‘(4) Nothing in this Act shall apply to working conditions covered by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 801 et seq.).’’. 

TITLE II—INCREASING PROTECTIONS FOR 

WHISTLEBLOWERS 

SEC. 201. EMPLOYEE ACTIONS. 

Section 11(c)(1) (29 U.S.C. 660(c)(1)) is amended by inserting before the period 

at the end the following: ‘‘, including the reporting of any injury, illness, or unsafe 

condition to the employer, agent of the employer, safety and health committee involved, or employee safety and health representative involved’’. 

SEC. 202. PROHIBITION OF DISCRIMINATION. 

Section 11(c) (29 U.S.C. 660(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(2) No person shall discharge or in any manner discriminate against an 

employee for refusing to perform the employee’s duties if the employee has a 

reasonable apprehension that performing such duties would result in serious injury to, or serious impairment of the health of, the employee or other employees. 

The circumstances causing the employee’s apprehension of serious injury or serious impairment of health shall be of such a nature that a reasonable person, 

under the circumstances confronting the employee, would conclude that there 

is a bona fide danger of a serious injury, or serious impairment of health, resulting from the circumstances. In order to qualify for protection under this 

paragraph, the employee, when practicable, shall have sought from the employee’s employer, and have been unable to obtain, a correction of the circumstances 

causing the refusal to perform the employee’s duties.’’. 

SEC. 203. PROCEDURE. 

Section 11(c) (29 U.S.C. 660(c)) is amended by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: 

‘‘(3) COMPLAINT.—Any employee who believes that the employee has been 

discharged, disciplined, or otherwise discriminated against by any person in violation of paragraph (1) or (2) may seek relief for such violation by filing a complaint with the Secretary under paragraph (5). 

‘‘(4) STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—An employee may take the action permitted by paragraph (3)(A) not later than 180 days after the later of— 

‘‘(i) the date on which an alleged violation of paragraph (1) or (2) 

occurs; or 

‘‘(ii) the date on which the employee knows or should reasonably 

have known that such alleged violation occurred. 

‘‘(B) REPEAT VIOLATION.—Except in cases when the employee has been 

discharged, a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) shall be considered to have 

occurred on the last date an alleged repeat violation occurred. 

‘‘(5) INVESTIGATION.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—An employee may, within the time period required 

under paragraph (4)(B), file a complaint with the Secretary alleging a violation of paragraph (1) or (2). If the complaint alleges a prima facie case, the 

Secretary shall conduct an investigation of the allegations in the complaint, 

which— 

‘‘(i) shall include— 

‘‘(I) interviewing the complainant; 

‘‘(II) providing the respondent an opportunity to— 

‘‘(aa) submit to the Secretary a written response to the 

complaint; and 

‘‘(bb) meet with the Secretary to present statements from 

witnesses or provide evidence; and 
114 

‘‘(III) providing the complainant an opportunity to— 

‘‘(aa) receive any statements or evidence provided to the 

Secretary; 

‘‘(bb) meet with the Secretary; and 

‘‘(cc) rebut any statements or evidence; and 

‘‘(ii) may include issuing subpoenas for the purposes of such investigation. 

‘‘(B) DECISION.—Not later than 90 days after the filing of the complaint, 

the Secretary shall— 

‘‘(i) issue a decision on whether to order relief; and 

‘‘(ii) notify, in writing, the complainant and the respondent named 

in the complaint of such decision. 

‘‘(6) PRELIMINARY ORDER FOLLOWING INVESTIGATION.—If, after completion of 

an investigation under paragraph (5)(A), the Secretary finds reasonable cause 

to believe that a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) has occurred, the Secretary 

shall issue a preliminary order providing relief authorized under paragraph (14) 

at the same time the Secretary issues a decision under paragraph (5)(B). If a 

de novo hearing is not requested within the time period required under paragraph (7)(A)(i), such preliminary order shall be deemed a final order of the Secretary and is not subject to judicial review. 

‘‘(7) HEARING.— ‘‘(A) REQUEST FOR HEARING.— ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A de novo hearing on the record before an administrative law judge may be requested— 

‘‘(I) by the complainant or respondent within 30 days after receiving notification of a decision or preliminary order for relief 

issued under paragraph (5)(B) or (6), respectively; 

‘‘(II) by the complainant within 30 days after the date the complaint is dismissed without investigation by the Secretary under 

paragraph (5)(A); or 

‘‘(III) by the complainant within 120 days after the date of filing the complaint, if the Secretary has not issued a decision under 

paragraph (5)(B). 

‘‘(ii) REINSTATEMENT ORDER.—The request for a hearing shall not 

operate to stay any preliminary reinstatement order issued under paragraph (6). 

‘‘(B) PROCEDURES.— ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A hearing requested under this paragraph shall 

be conducted expeditiously and in accordance with rules established by 

the Secretary for hearings conducted by administrative law judges. 

‘‘(ii) SUBPOENAS; PRODUCTION OF EVIDENCE.—In conducting any 

such hearing, the administrative law judge may issue subpoenas. The 

respondent or complainant may request the issuance of subpoenas that 

require the deposition of, or the attendance and testimony of, witnesses 

and the production of any evidence (including any books, papers, documents, or recordings) relating to the matter under consideration. 

‘‘(iii) DECISION.—The administrative law judge shall issue a decision not later than 90 days after the date on which a hearing was requested under this paragraph and promptly notify, in writing, the parties and the Secretary of such decision, including the findings of fact 

and conclusions of law. If the administrative law judge finds that a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) has occurred, the judge shall issue an 

order for relief under paragraph (14). If review under paragraph (8) or 

(11) is not timely requested, such order shall be deemed a final order 

of the Secretary that is not subject to judicial review. 

‘‘(8) ADMINISTRATIVE APPEAL.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the date of notification 

of a decision and order issued by an administrative law judge under paragraph (7), the complainant or respondent may file, with objections, an administrative appeal with the Secretary (or an administrative review body 

designated by the Secretary). 

‘‘(B) STANDARD OF REVIEW.—In reviewing the decision and order of the 

administrative law judge, the Secretary (or designated administrative review body) shall affirm the decision and order if it is determined that the 

factual findings set forth therein are supported by substantial evidence and 

the decision and order are made in accordance with applicable law. 

‘‘(C) DECISION.—If the Secretary grants the administrative appeal and 

finds that a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) has occurred, the Secretary 
115 

shall issue, within 60 days of receipt of the administrative appeal, a final 

decision and order providing relief authorized under paragraph (14), and 

such decision and order shall constitute a final agency action. 

‘‘(9) SETTLEMENT IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—At any time before issuance of a final order, an investigation or proceeding under this subsection may be terminated on the 

basis of a settlement agreement entered into by— 

‘‘(i) the Secretary or an administrative law judge conducting a 

hearing under this subsection; 

‘‘(ii) the complainant; and 

‘‘(iii) the respondent. 

‘‘(B) PUBLIC POLICY CONSIDERATIONS.—The Secretary or an administrative law judge conducting a hearing under this subsection may not accept 

a settlement that contains conditions conflicting with the rights protected 

under this Act or that are contrary to public policy, including a restriction 

on a complainant’s right to future employment with employers other than 

the specific employers named in a complaint. 

‘‘(10) INACTION BY THE SECRETARY OR ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE.— 

‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The complainant may bring a de novo action described in subparagraph (B) if— 

‘‘(i) an administrative law judge has not issued a decision and order 

within the 90-day time period required under paragraph (7)(B)(iii); or 

‘‘(ii) the Secretary has not issued a decision and order within the 

60-day time period required under paragraph (8)(C). 

‘‘(B) DE NOVO ACTION.—Such de novo action may be brought at law or 

equity in the United States district court for the district where a violation 

of paragraph (1) or (2) allegedly occurred or where the complainant resided 

on the date of such alleged violation. The court shall have jurisdiction over 

such action without regard to the amount in controversy and to order appropriate relief under paragraph (14). Such action shall, at the request of 

either party to such action, be tried by the court with a jury. 

‘‘(11) JUDICIAL REVIEW.— 

‘‘(A) TIMELY APPEAL TO THE COURT OF APPEALS.—Any party adversely 

affected or aggrieved by a final decision and order issued under this subsection may obtain review of such decision and order in the United States 

Court of Appeals for the circuit where the violation, with respect to which 

such final decision and order was issued, allegedly occurred or where the 

complainant resided on the date of such alleged violation. To obtain such 

review, a party shall file a petition for review not later than 60 days after 

the final decision and order was issued. Such review shall conform to chapter 7 of title 5, United States Code. The commencement of proceedings 

under this subparagraph shall not, unless ordered by the court, operate as 

a stay of the final decision and order. 

‘‘(B) LIMITATION ON COLLATERAL ATTACK.—An order and decision with 

respect to which review may be obtained under subparagraph (A) shall not 

be subject to judicial review in any criminal or other civil proceeding. 

‘‘(12) ENFORCEMENT OF ORDER.—If a respondent fails to comply with an 

order issued under this subsection, the Secretary or the complainant on whose 

behalf the order was issued may file a civil action for enforcement in the United 

States district court for the district in which the violation was found to occur 

to enforce such order. If both the Secretary and the complainant file such action, the action of the Secretary shall take precedence. The district court shall 

have jurisdiction to grant all appropriate relief including, injunctive relief, compensatory or exemplary damages, and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs. 

‘‘(13) BURDENS OF PROOF.— 

‘‘(A) CRITERIA FOR DETERMINATION.—In adjudicating a complaint pursuant to this subsection, the Secretary or a court may determine that a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) has occurred only if the complainant demonstrates that any conduct described in paragraph (1) or (2) with respect 

to the complainant was a contributing factor in the adverse action alleged 

in the complaint. 

‘‘(B) PROHIBITION.—Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a decision or 

order that is favorable to the complainant shall not be issued in any administrative or judicial action pursuant to this subsection if the respondent 

demonstrates by clear and convincing evidence that the respondent would 

have taken the same adverse action in the absence of such conduct. 

‘‘(14) RELIEF.— 
116 

‘‘(A) ORDER FOR RELIEF.—If the Secretary or a court determines that a 

violation of paragraph (1) or (2) has occurred, the Secretary or court, respectively, shall have jurisdiction to order all appropriate relief, including injunctive relief, compensatory and exemplary damages, including— 

‘‘(i) affirmative action to abate the violation; 

‘‘(ii) reinstatement without loss of position or seniority, and restoration of the terms, rights, conditions, and privileges associated with the 

complainant’s employment, including opportunities for promotions to 

positions with equivalent or better compensation for which the complainant is qualified; 

‘‘(iii) compensatory and consequential damages sufficient to make 

the complainant whole, (including back pay, prejudgment interest, and 

other damages); and 

‘‘(iv) expungement of all warnings, reprimands, or derogatory references that have been placed in paper or electronic records or databases of any type relating to the actions by the complainant that gave 

rise to the unfavorable personnel action, and, at the complainant’s direction, transmission of a copy of the decision on the complaint to any 

person whom the complainant reasonably believes may have received 

such unfavorable information. 

‘‘(B) ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS.—If the Secretary or a court grants 

an order for relief under subparagraph (A), the Secretary or court, respectively, shall assess, at the request of the employee against the employer— 

‘‘(i) reasonable attorneys’ fees; and 

‘‘(ii) costs (including expert witness fees)) reasonably incurred, as 

determined by the Secretary or court respectively, in connection with 

bringing the complaint upon which the order was issued. 

‘‘(15) PROCEDURAL RIGHTS.—The rights and remedies provided for in this 

subsection may not be waived by any agreement, policy, form, or condition of 

employment, including by any pre-dispute arbitration agreement or collective 

bargaining agreement. 

‘‘(16) SAVINGS.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to diminish the 

rights, privileges, or remedies of any employee who exercises rights under any 

Federal or State law or common law, or under any collective bargaining agreement. 

‘‘(17) ELECTION OF VENUE.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—An employee of an employer who is located in a 

State that has a State plan approved under section 18 may file a complaint 

alleging a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) by such employer with— 

‘‘(i) the Secretary under paragraph (5); or 

‘‘(ii) a State plan administrator in such State. 

‘‘(B) REFERRALS.—If— 

‘‘(i) the Secretary receives a complaint pursuant to subparagraph 

(A)(i), the Secretary shall not refer such complaint to a State plan administrator for resolution; or 

‘‘(ii) a State plan administrator receives a complaint pursuant to 

subparagraph (A)(ii), the State plan administrator shall not refer such 

complaint to the Secretary for resolution.’’. 

SEC. 204. RELATION TO ENFORCEMENT. 

Section 17(j) (29 U.S.C. 666(j)) is amended by inserting before the period the 

following: ‘‘, including the history of violations under section 11(c)’’. 

TITLE III—INCREASING PENALTIES FOR 

VIOLATORS 

SEC. 301. POSTING OF EMPLOYEE RIGHTS. 

Section 8(c)(1) (29 U.S.C. 657(c)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: ‘‘Such regulations shall include provisions requiring employers 

to post for employees information on the protections afforded under section 11(c).’’. 

SEC. 302. EMPLOYER REPORTING OF WORK-RELATED DEATHS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS AND 

PROHIBITION ON DISCOURAGING EMPLOYEE REPORTS OF INJURY OR ILLNESS. 

Section 8(c)(2) (29 U.S.C. 657(c)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentences: ‘‘Such regulations shall require employers to promptly notify 

the Secretary of any work-related death or work-related injury or illness that results 

in the in-patient hospitalization of an employee for medical treatment. Such regula-
117 

tions shall also prohibit the employer from adopting or implementing policies or 

practices by the employer that have the effect of discouraging accurate recordkeeping and the reporting of work-related injuries or illnesses by any employee or 

in any manner discriminates or provides for adverse action against any employee 

for reporting a work-related injury or illness.’’ 

SEC. 303. NO LOSS OF EMPLOYEE PAY FOR INSPECTIONS. 

Section 8(e) (29 U.S.C. 657(e)) is amended by inserting after the first sentence 

the following: ‘‘Time spent by an employee participating in or aiding any such inspection shall be deemed to be hours worked and no employee shall suffer any loss 

of wages, benefits, or other terms and conditions of employment for having participated in or aided any such inspection.’’. 

SEC. 304. INVESTIGATIONS OF FATALITIES AND SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS. 

Section 8 (29 U.S.C. 657) is amended by adding at the end the following new 

subsection: 

‘‘(i) INVESTIGATION OF FATALITIES AND SERIOUS INCIDENTS.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall investigate any significant incident or an 

incident resulting in death that occurs in a place of employment. 

‘‘(2) APPROPRIATE MEASURES.—If a significant incident or an incident resulting 

in death occurs in a place of employment, the employer shall promptly notify the 

Secretary of the incident involved and shall take appropriate measures to prevent 

the destruction or alteration of any evidence that would assist in investigating the 

incident. The appropriate measures required by this paragraph do not prevent an 

employer from taking action on a worksite to prevent injury to employees or substantial damage to property or to avoid disruption of essential services necessary to 

public safety. If an employer takes such action, the employer shall notify the Secretary of the action in a timely fashion. 

‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

‘‘(A) INCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATH.—The term ‘incident resulting in death’ 

means an incident that results in the death of an employee. 

‘‘(B) SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT.—The term ‘significant incident’ means an incident that results in the in-patient hospitalization of 2 or more employees for 

medical treatment.’’. 

SEC. 305. PROHIBITION ON UNCLASSIFIED CITATIONS. 

Section 9 (29 U.S.C. 658) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(d) No citation for a violation of this Act may be issued, modified, or settled 

under this section without a designation enumerated in section 17 with respect to 

such violation.’’. 

SEC. 306. VICTIMS’ RIGHTS. 

The Act is amended by inserting after section 9 (29 U.S.C. 658) the following: 

‘‘SEC. 9A. VICTIM’S RIGHTS. 

‘‘(a) RIGHTS BEFORE THE SECRETARY.—A victim or the representative of a victim, shall be afforded the right, with respect to an inspection or investigation conducted under section 8 to— 

‘‘(1) meet with the Secretary regarding the inspection or investigation conducted under such section before the Secretary’s decision to issue a citation or 

take no action; 

‘‘(2) receive, at no cost, a copy of any citation or report, issued as a result 

of such inspection or investigation, at the same time as the employer receives 

such citation or report; 

‘‘(3) be informed of any notice of contest or addition of parties to the proceedings filed under section 10(c); and 

‘‘(4) be provided notification of the date and time or any proceedings, service 

of pleadings, and other relevant documents, and an explanation of the rights of 

the employer, employee and employee representative, and victim to participate 

in proceedings conducted under section 10(c). 

‘‘(b) RIGHTS BEFORE THE COMMISSION.—Upon request, a victim or representative of a victim shall be afforded the right with respect to a work-related bodily injury or death to— 

‘‘(1) be notified of the time and date of any proceeding before the Commission; and 

‘‘(2) receive pleadings and any decisions relating to the proceedings; and 

‘‘(3) be provided an opportunity to appear and make a statement in accordance with the rules prescribed by the Commission. 

‘‘(c) MODIFICATION OF CITATION.—Before entering into an agreement to withdraw or modify a citation issued as a result of an inspection or investigation of an 
118 

incident under section 8, the Secretary shall notify a victim or representative of a 

victim and provide the victim or representative of a victim with an opportunity to 

appear and make a statement before the parties conducting settlement negotiations. 

In lieu of an appearance, the victim or representative of the victim may elect to submit a letter to the Secretary and the parties. 

‘‘(d) SECRETARY PROCEDURES.—The Secretary shall establish procedures— 

‘‘(1) to inform victims of their rights under this section; and 

‘‘(2) for the informal review of any claim of a denial of such a right. 

‘‘(e) COMMISSION PROCEDURES.—The Commission shall establish procedures relating to the rights of victims to be heard in proceedings before the Commission. 

‘‘(f) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘victim’ means— 

‘‘(1) an employee, including a former employee, who has sustained a workrelated injury or illness that is the subject of an inspection or investigation conducted under section 8, or 

‘‘(2) a family member (as further defined by the Secretary) of a victim described in paragraph (1), if— 

‘‘(A) the victim dies as a result of a incident that is the subject of an 

inspection or investigation conducted under section 8; or 

‘‘(B) the victim sustains a work-related injury or illness that is the subject of an inspection or investigation conducted under section 8, and the victim because of incapacity cannot reasonably exercise the rights under this 

section.’’. 

SEC. 307. RIGHT TO CONTEST CITATIONS AND PENALTIES. 

Section 10 (20 U.S.C. 659) is amended— 

(1) in the first sentence of subsection (b)— 

(A) by inserting ‘‘, with the exception of violations designated as serious, willful, or repeated,’’ after ‘‘(which period shall not begin to run’’; 

(2) in subsection (c)— 

(A) in the first sentence— 

(i) by inserting after ‘‘that he intends to contest a citation issued 

under section (9)’’ the following: ‘‘(or a modification of a citation issued 

under this section)’’; 

(ii) by inserting after ‘‘the issuance of a citation under section 9’’ 

the following: ‘‘(including a modification of a citation issued under such 

section)’’; 

(iii) by inserting after ‘‘files a notice with the Secretary alleging’’ 

the following: ‘‘that the citation fails properly to designate the violation 

as serious, willful, or repeated, that the proposed penalty is not adequate, or’’; 

(B) by inserting after the first sentence, the following: ‘‘The pendency 

of a contest before the Commission shall not bar the Secretary from inspecting a place of employment or from issuing a citation under section 9.’’; and 

(C) by amending the last sentence— 

(i) by inserting ‘‘employers and’’ after ‘‘Commission shall provide’’; 

and 

(ii) by inserting before the period at the end ‘‘, and notification of 

any modification of a citation’’. 

(3) by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(d) CORRECTION OF SERIOUS, WILLFUL, OR REPEATED VIOLATIONS; ABATEMENT

PENDING CONTEST AND PROCEDURES FOR A STAY.— 

‘‘(1) PERIOD PERMITTED FOR CORRECTION OF SERIOUS, WILLFUL, OR REPEATED

VIOLATIONS.—For each violation which the Secretary designates as serious, willful, or repeated, the period permitted for the correction of the violation shall 

begin to run upon receipt of the citation. 

‘‘(2) FILING OF A MOTION OF CONTEST.—The filing of a notice of contest by 

an employer— 

‘‘(A) shall not operate as a stay of the period for correction of a violation 

designated as serious, willful, or repeated; and 

‘‘(B) may operate as a stay of the period for correction of a violation not 

designated by the Secretary as serious, willful, or repeated. 

‘‘(3) CRITERIA AND RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR STAYS.— 

‘‘(A) MOTION FOR A STAY.—An employer may file with the Commission 

a motion to stay a period for the correction of a violation designated as serious, willful, or repeated. 

‘‘(B) CRITERIA.—In determining whether a stay should be issued on the 

basis of a motion filed under subparagraph (A), the Commission shall consider whether— 
119 

‘‘(i) the employer has demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on its contest to the citation; 

‘‘(ii) the employer will suffer irreparable harm absent a stay; and 

‘‘(iii) a stay will adversely affect the health and safety of workers. 

‘‘(C) RULES OF PROCEDURE.—The Commission shall develop rules of procedure for conducting a hearing on a motion filed under subparagraph (A) 

on an expedited basis. At a minimum, such rules shall provide: 

‘‘(i) That a hearing before an administrative law judge shall occur 

not later than 15 days following the filing of the motion for a stay (unless extended at the request of the employer), and shall provide for a 

decision on the motion not later than 15 days following the hearing 

(unless extended at the request of the employer). 

‘‘(ii) That a decision of an administrative law judge on a motion for 

stay is rendered on a timely basis. 

‘‘(iii) That if a party is aggrieved by a decision issued by an administrative law judge regarding the stay, such party has the right to file 

an objection with the Commission not later than 5 days after receipt 

of the administrative law judge’s decision. Within 10 days after receipt 

of the objection, a Commissioner, if a quorum is seated pursuant to section 12(f), shall decide whether to grant review of the objection. If, 

within 10 days after receipt of the objection, no decision is made on 

whether to review the decision of the administrative law judge, the 

Commission declines to review such decision, or no quorum is seated, 

the decision of the administrative law judge shall become a final order 

of the Commission. If the Commission grants review of the objection, 

the Commission shall issue a decision regarding the stay not later than 

30 days after receipt of the objection. If the Commission fails to issue 

such decision within 30 days, the decision of the administrative law 

judge shall become a final order of the Commission. 

‘‘(iv) For notification to employees or representatives of affected 

employees of requests for such hearings and shall provide affected employees or representatives of affected employees an opportunity to participate as parties to such hearings.’’. 

SEC. 308. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 

(a) SECTION 17.—Section 17(d) (29 U.S.C. 666(d)) is amended to read as follows: 

‘‘(d) Any employer who fails to correct a violation designated by the Secretary 

as serious, willful or repeated and for which a citation has been issued under section 

9(a) within the period permitted for its correction (and a stay has not been issued 

by the Commission under section 10(d)) may be assessed a civil penalty of not more 

than $7,000 for each day during which such failure or violation continues. Any employer who fails to correct any other violation for which a citation has been issued 

under section 9(a) of this title within the period permitted for its correction (which 

period shall not begin to run until the date of the final order of the Commission 

in the case of any review proceeding under section 10 initiated by the employer in 

good faith and not solely for delay of avoidance of penalties) may be assessed a civil 

penalty of not more than $7,000 for each day during which such failure or violation 

continues.’’. 

(b) SECTION 11(A).—The first sentence of section 11(a) (29 U.S.C. 660(a)) is 

amended by— 

(1) by inserting ‘‘(or the failure of the Commission, including an administrative law judge, to make a timely decision on a request for a stay under section 

10(d))’’ after ‘‘an order’’ ; 

(2) by striking ‘‘subsection (c)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsections (c) and (d)’’; and 

(3) by inserting ‘‘(or in the case of a petition from a final Commission order 

regarding a stay under section 10(d), 15 days)’’after ‘‘sixty days’’. 

SEC. 309. CIVIL PENALTIES. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 17 (29 U.S.C. 666) is amended— 

(1) in subsection (a)— 

(A) by striking ‘‘$70,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$120,000’’; 

(B) by striking ‘‘$5,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$8,000’’; and 

(C) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘If such a violation causes the 

death of an employee, such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not 

more than $250,000 for each such violation, but not less than $50,000 for 

each such violation, except that for an employer with 25 or fewer employees 

such penalty shall not be less than $25,000 for each such violation.’’; 

(2) in subsection (b)— 

(A) by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$12,000’’; and 
120 

(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘If such a violation causes the 

death of an employee, such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not 

more than $50,000 for each such violation, but not less than $20,000 for 

each such violation, except that for an employer with 25 or fewer employees 

such penalty shall not be less than $10,000 for each such violation.’’; 

(3) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$12,000’’; 

(4) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$12,000’’; 

(5) by redesignating subsections (e) through (l) as subsections (f) through 

(m), respectively; and 

(6) in subsection (j) (as redesignated by paragraph (5)), by striking ‘‘$7,000’’ 

and inserting ‘‘$12,000;’’. 

(b) INFLATION ADJUSTMENT.—Section 17 (29 U.S.C. 666) (as amended by subsection (a)) is further amended by inserting after subsection (d) the following: 

‘‘(e) Amounts provided under this section for civil penalties shall be adjusted by 

the Secretary at least once during each 4-year period to account for the percentage 

increase or decrease in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers during 

such period.’’. 

SEC. 310. OSHA CRIMINAL PENALTIES. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 17 (29 U.S.C. 666) (as amended by section 309) is further amended— 

(1) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows: 

‘‘(f)(1) Any employer who knowingly violates any standard, rule, or order promulgated under section 6 of this Act, or of any regulation prescribed under this Act, 

and that violation caused or contributed to death to any employee, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine in accordance with section 3571 of title 18, United 

States Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both, except that 

if the conviction is for a violation committed after a first conviction of such person 

under this subsection or subsection (i), punishment shall be by a fine in accordance 

with section 3571 of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not more 

than 20 years, or by both. 

‘‘(2) For the purpose of this subsection, the term ‘employer’ means, in addition 

to the definition contained in section 3 of this Act, any officer or director.’’; 

(2) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than six months,’’ and inserting ‘‘fine in accordance with 

section 3571 of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not more 

than 2 years,’’; 

(3) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than six months,’’ and inserting ‘‘fine in accordance 

with section 3571 of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not 

more than 5 years,’’; 

(4) by redesignating subsections (j) through (m) as subsections (k) through 

(n), respectively; and 

(5) by inserting after subsection (i) the following: 

‘‘(j)(1) Any employer who knowingly violates any standard, rule, or order promulgated under section 6, or any regulation prescribed under this Act, and that violation causes or contributes to serious bodily harm to any employee but does not 

cause death to any employee, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine in accordance with section 3571 of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not 

more than 5 years, or by both, except that if the conviction is for a violation committed after a first conviction of such person under this subsection or subsection (e), 

punishment shall be by a fine in accordance with section 3571 of title 18, United 

States Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or by both. 

‘‘(2) For the purpose of this subsection, the term ‘employer’ means, in addition 

to the definition contained in section 3 of this Act, any officer or director. 

‘‘(3) For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘serious bodily harm’ means any 

circumstance, deficiency, or shortfall that could result in an injury or illness including, risk of death, unconsciousness, physical disfigurement, or loss or impairment 

(whether permanent or temporary) of the function of a bodily member, organ, or 

mental facility.’’. 

(b) JURISDICTION FOR PROSECUTION UNDER STATE AND LOCAL CRIMINAL LAWS.— 

Section 17 (29 U.S.C. 666) (as amended by subsection (a)) is further amended by 

adding at the end the following: 

‘‘(o) Nothing in this Act shall preclude a State or local law enforcement agency 

from conducting criminal prosecutions in accordance with the laws of such State or 

locality.’’. 
121 

TITLE IV—EFFECTIVE DATE 

SEC. 401. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

(a) GENERAL RULE.—Except as provided for in subsection (b), this Act and the 

amendments made by this Act shall take effect not later than 90 days after the date 

of the enactment of this Act. 

(b) EXCEPTION FOR STATES AND POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.—The following are exceptions to the effective date described in subsection (a): 

(1) A State that has a State plan approved under section 18 (29 U.S.C. 667) 

shall amend its State plan to conform with the requirements of this Act and 

the amendments made by this Act not later than 12 months after the date of 

the enactment of this Act. The Secretary of Labor may extend the period for 

a State to make such amendments to its State plan by not more than 12 

months, if the State’s legislature is not in session during the 12-month period 

beginning with the date of the enactment of this Act. Such amendments to the 

State plan shall take effect not later than 90 days after the adoption of such 

amendments by such State. 

(2) This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect not 

later than 36 months after the date of the enactment of this Act in a State, or 

a political subdivision of a State, that does not have a State plan approved 

under section 18 (29 U.S.C. 667). 
122 

[The U.S. Senate, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions Report, ‘‘Discounting Death,’’ may be accessed at the following Internet address:] 
123 

http://www.philaposh.org/pdf/2008KennedyReport.pdf 

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, 

STATE CAPITOL, 

Cheyenne, WY, March 11, 2010. 

Hon. GEORGE MILLER, Chairman, 

Committee on Education and Labor, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 

20515. 

DEAR CHAIRMAN MILLER: In the spring of 2009, my office formed a Workplace 

Safety Task Force to determine root causes of why Wyoming ranked number 1 in 

the nation in workplace fatalities. We were fortunate to secure the assistance of two 

occupational epidemiologist from the National Institute of Occupational Health and 

Safety (NIOSH) of Anchorage, Alaska who made several trips to Wyoming to help 

the Task Force collect and analyze the data from a variety of sources. 

The Task Force divided into four sub-committees made, Oil and Gas, Transportation, Construction and Data and each subcommittee made recommendations 

which were: 

Oil and Gas, Construction: increase OSHA penalties consistent with HR 2067, 

Transportation: raise penalty for violation of our secondary seatbelt law, 

Data: engage the services of a full time occupational epidemiologist. 

Wyoming HB 93, taken from HR-2067, SEC. 309, would have increased the civil 

penalties to the same level proposed by the Congressional Bill. Unfortunately the 

Wyoming Bill was defeated by the Wyoming Senate. 

As Governor, I would support SEC. 309 of HR 2067 as proposed. It is my belief 

that with the increased OSHA Civil Penalties, it will strongly encourage businesses, 

particularly small employers, to seek courtesy inspections from OSHA, thereby ultimately reducing the number of workplace fatalities and injuries. 

Should you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact my office. 

Best regards, 

DAVE FREUDENTHAL, Governor. 

Prepared Statement of Peg Seminario, Director, 

Safety and Health, AFL–CIO 

Chairman Woolsey, Ranking Member McMorris Rodgers and other members of 

the committee, I appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement on behalf of 

the AFL-CIO in strong support of the Protecting America’s Workers Act—legislation 

to strengthen and improve the Occupational Safety and Health. Act. 

Nearly four decades ago, Congress enacted the Occupational Safety and Health 

Act (OSH Act) of 1970, promising America’s workers the right to a safe job. While 

progress has been made since the OSH Act was passed, the toll of workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities remains enormous. In 2008, 5,071 workers were killed 

on the job—an average of 14 deaths a day. An estimated 50,000 workers died from 

occupational diseases and millions more were injured. Major hazards including silica, toxic chemicals, infectious diseases and ergonomic hazards have not been addressed. 

For many groups of workers, workplace conditions are particularly dangerous. Fatalities and injuries among immigrant and Latino workers are much greater than 

among other groups of workers due to their concentration in hazardous jobs, their 

vulnerability because of immigration status and their lack of union representation. 

Workers in the construction industry continue to be at especially high risk, with fatality rates much higher than those of workers in other industrial sectors. 

Millions of workers still lack basic OSHA protections and rights. More than 8 million state and local public employees in 25 states are not covered by the OSH Act. 

Flight attendants, farm workers and other groups of workers are caught in a jurisdictional limbo with limited or no legal protection. And for federal workers, OSHA 

has no authority to enforce the correction of cited violations. 

Penalties for serious and willful violations of the job safety law are weak, even 

in cases in which workers are killed or injured. The median OSHA penalty in cases 

involving a worker’s death is less than $4,000, which is clearly inadequate and provides no deterrence. Protections for workers who report hazards or job injuries are 

also weak. There is a growing trend among employers to attempt to shift the responsibility for safety and health onto workers, by adopting behavioral safety and 

injury discipline programs, instead of fixing workplace hazards. Workers’ and 
124 

unions’ rights to participate in OSHA enforcement actions are limited, resulting in 

settlements that fail to protect workers. 

Under the Obama administration, OSHA is getting back to its mission of protecting workers. The agency is moving to issue new standards, to strengthen enforcement and to ensure workers’ rights. But many of the deficiencies and weaknesses in OSHA protection can only be addressed through changes in the law. 

The Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA)—H.R. 2067, S. 1580—would address major weaknesses in the OSH Act and provide workers stronger job safety 

rights and protections. The legislation would extend coverage to millions of workers, 

including public sector workers, who currently lack protection. It would improve 

anti-discrimination protections so workers can raise job safety concerns without fear 

of retaliation, and strengthen worker and victim rights. And the legislation would 

provide stronger civil and criminal penalties fro company that put workers in serious danger and repeatedly violate job safety standards. 

The AFL-CIO strongly supports all the provisions of this legislation. This hearing 

and our testimony today will focus on PAWA’s penalty provisions—why they are 

needed and how they will enhance the protection of workers’ safety and health. 

OSHA Enforcement and Penalties are Too Weak to Create an Incentive to Improve 

Conditions and Deter Violations 

The Occupational Safety and Health Act places the responsibility on employers to 

protect workers from hazards and to comply with the law. The law relies largely 

on the good faith of employers to address hazards and improve conditions. For this 

system to work, it must be backed up with strong and meaningful enforcement. But 

at present, the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the OSHA enforcement program provide limited deterrence to employers who put workers in danger. OSHA inspections and oversight of workplaces are exceedingly rare. There are no mandatory 

inspections even for the most dangerous industries or workplaces. In FY 2009, there 

were approximately 2,200 federal and state OSHA inspectors combined. OSHA has 

the capacity and resources to inspect workplaces on average once every 94 years— 

once every 137 years in the federal OSHA states. 

Over the years OSHA’s oversight capacity was diminished, as the number of inspectors declined at the same time the workforce increased. The FY 2010 appropriations provided for an increase in OSHA’s enforcement staff and an increase in funding for OSHA state plans, and returned federal enforcement staffing levels back to 

their FY 2001 levels. Even with this recent increase, the number of federal OSHA 

enforcement staff today is 450 fewer than it was in FY 1980, while the size of the 

workforce is 40 percent larger than it was at that time. 

Since there is no regular oversight, strong enforcement when workplaces are inspected and violations are found is even more important. But the penalties provided 

in the OSH Act are weak. Serious violations of the law (those that pose a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to workers) are subject to a maximum penalty of $7,000. Willful and repeated violations carry a maximum penalty 

of $70,000 and willful violations a minimum of $5,000. These penalties were last 

adjusted by the Congress in 1990 (the only time they have been raised). Unlike all 

other federal enforcement agencies (except the IRS), the OSH Act is exempt from 

the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act, so there have not even been 

increases in OSHA penalties for inflation, which has reduced the real dollar value 

of OSHA penalties by about 40%. For OSHA penalties to have the same value as 

they did in 1990, they would have to be increased to $11,600 for a serious violation 

and to $116,000 for a willful violation of the law. 

By comparison, the Mine Safety and Health Act requires mandatory inspections— 

four per year at underground mines and two per year at surface mines. As a result 

of Congressional action following the Sago mine disaster and other disasters in 

2006, the Mine Act now provides for much tougher penalties. The MINER Act increased maximum civil penalties for violations to $60,000 (from $10,000), which may 

be assessed on an instance-by-instance basis. The 2006 mine safety legislation also 

added a new provision for ‘‘flagrant’’ violations, with a maximum civil penalty of 

$220,000. Since the MINER Act was passed, there has been a significant increase 

in MSHA penalties. In CY 2009, MSHA assessed $141.2 million in penalties for violations, compared to $35 million assessed in CY 2006, before the penalty provisions 

of the MINER Act went into effect. 

The maximum civil penalties provided for under the OSH Act are rarely assessed. 

Indeed, just the opposite is the case. In FY 2009, the average penalty for a serious 

violation of the law was $965 for federal OSHA and $781 for the state OSHA plans 

combined. Again this is the average penalty for violations that pose a substantial 

probability of death or serious physical harm. California had the highest average 

penalty for serious violations and South Carolina had the lowest. Both of these are 
125 

state plan states. California amended its OSHA law in 2000 to increase penalties, 

with the maximum penalty for a serious violation in that state set at $25,000 compared to $7,000 maximum penalty under federal OSHA and the other state plans. 

For violations that are ‘‘other’’ than serious, which also carry a statutory maximum under the OSH Act of $7,000, the average federal OSHA penalty was just 

$234. Clearly, for most employers these levels of penalties are not sufficient to 

change employer behavior, improve workplace conditions or deter future violations. 

OSHA penalties for violations that are willful or repeated also fall well below the 

maximum statutory penalties. For both willful and repeat violations, the OSH Act 

provides a maximum penalty of $70,000 per violation. For violations that are willful, 

a $5,000 mandatory minimum penalty is also prescribed. In FY 2009, the average 

federal OSHA penalty for a willful violation was $34,271, and the average willful 

penalty for state plans was $20,270. For repeat violations, the average federal 

OSHA penalty was only $3,871 and for state plans the average was $1,757, a fraction of the statutory maximum penalty for such violations. 

Even in cases where workers are killed, penalties are abysmally low. According 

to OSHA inspection data, the average serious penalty in fatality cases for FY 2009 

was just $2,425 for federal OSHA and $3,805 for the state plans combined. (The 

state plan average includes penalties for California which higher due to the higher 

statutory penalties provided for under the Cal/OSHA law). The average total penalty assessed in fatality cases was just $7,668 nationally ($8,152 for federal OSHA 

and $7,032 for the OSHA state plans). These averages include open cases, which 

when finally resolved, will result in a reduction in these average penalty levels. 

A state-by-state review shows that there is wide variability in penalties assessed 

in cases involving worker deaths, with the penalties in some states exceedingly low. 

For example, in FY 2009, in the state of Colorado, the average penalty in worker 

fatality cases was $25,309, but in the state of South Carolina the average penalty 

in such cases was only $809, the lowest in the nation. 

The overall average penalties for fatalities include a number of high penalty 

cases, which can greatly increase the average. For example, in Colorado in FY 2009, 

a proposed penalty of $128,500 in a fatality case at a MillerCoors brewery, greatly 

increased the average penalty in fatality cases. The median penalty, which is the 

mid-point of penalties, is much more representative of the typical penalty in fatality 

cases, and is much lower. 

In 2008 the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Majority staff conducted an in-depth investigation of OSHA enforcement in fatality cases. 

Their study—Discounting Death: OSHA’s Failure to Punish Safety Violations That 

Kill Workers—analyzed detailed enforcement data for thousands of fatality investigations and individual case files for hundreds of enforcement cases. It found that 

OSHA penalties in cases involving worker deaths were consistently low and routinely reduced in settlement negotiations. For all federal OSHA fatality investigations conducted in FY 2007, the median initial penalty was just $5,900. But after 

negotiation and settlement, the median final penalty for workplace fatalities was reduced to only $3,675. For willful violations in fatality cases, the final median penalty was $29,400, less than half the statutory maximum of $70,000 for such violations. 

The following examples are typical of OSHA enforcement and penalties in many 

fatality cases: 

In January 2009, a worker was killed in a trench cave-in in Freyburg, Ohio. The 

victim Andrew Keller was 22 years old. The company, Tumbusch Construction, was 

cited for 3 serious violations and penalized $6,300. The penalties were reduced to 

$4,500. Six months later, in June 2009, OSHA found similar violations at another 

jobsite of Tumbusch Construction. This time the company was cited for both serious 

and willful violations with a total of $53,800 in penalties proposed. The company 

has contested the violations. 

In July 2009, in Batesville, Texas, one worker was killed and two workers injured 

when natural gas was ignited during oxygen/acetylene cutting on a natural gas 

pipeline. The employer—L&J Roustabout, Inc. was cited for 3 serious violations with 

$3,000 in penalties. The case was settled for $1,500. 

In August 2009, in Lamar, South Carolina, Andrea Taylor, 28, an employee of Affordable Electric was killed on the job. South Carolina OSHA cited the company for 

5 serious violations of electrical and lock-out standards with a proposed penalty of 

$6,600. In an October 2009 settlement, 3 of the violations were dropped and the 

penalties reduced to $1,400. 

In August 2009, at SMC, Inc. in Odessa, Texas, a worker was caught in the shaft 

of milling machine and killed. The company was cited for 1 serious violation. The 

$2,500 proposed penalty was reduced at settlement to $2,000. 
126 

In Michigan, in 2006, Midwest Energy Cooperative was fined $4,200 for 2 serious 

violations for excavation and safety program requirements in the death of Danny 

Young, 27, who was killed when a backhoe hit a gas line that exploded. The case 

was settled for $2,940. 

What kind of message does it send to employers, workers and family members, 

that the death of a worker caused by a serious or even repeated violation of the law 

warrants only a penalty of a few thousands dollars? It tells them that there is little 

value placed on the lives of workers in this country and that there are no serious 

consequences for violating the law. 

The OSH Act and OSHA Enforcement Policies Discount Penalties for Violations Even 

in Cases of Worker Death 

So why are OSHA penalties for workplace fatalities and job safety violations so 

low? The problems are largely systemic and start with the OSH Act itself. The Act 

sets low maximum penalty levels, particularly for serious violations, which carry a 

maximum of $7,000, clearly not a deterrent for many companies. For example, in 

2008, a Walmart store employee in Valley Stream, New York was trampled to 

death, when the company failed to provide for crowd control at a post-Thanksgiving 

sale. The company was cited for one serious violation and penalized $7,000, the 

maximum amount for a serious violation. 

For a willful or repeat violation the maximum penalty is $70,000. In assessing 

penalties, under the Act, employer size, good faith, history, and gravity of the violation are to be taken into consideration. 

Throughout its history, OSHA procedures for considering these four factors have 

resulted in proposed penalties that are substantially below the maximum penalties. 

The agency starts with a gravity based penalty, which is then reduced by specified 

percentages for each of the other 3 factors (except in certain circumstances). Under 

OSHA’s current penalty policy, for high gravity serious violations, except in rare 

cases, OSHA starts with a base of $5,000, not $7,000 to determine the penalty. This 

is true even for fatality cases, which under OSHA policy are supposed to be classified as high-gravity. In fatality cases, no reductions are allowed for good faith, but 

penalty reductions are still allowed for employer size and history. 

Under the penalty policy, reductions for employer size range from 20 percent (for 

employers with 101-250 employees) to 60 percent (for employers with 1-25 employees), but a larger reduction of 80 percent reduction is provided for serious violations 

that are willful for employers with 10 or fewer employees. The reduction for no history of serious, willful or repeat violations in the past 3 years is an additional 10 

percent. So in many cases there is an automatic 30 to 90 percent discount in penalties, regardless of the gravity of the violations that are found. 

OSHA’s general policy is to group multiple instances of the same violation into 

one citation, with one penalty. So, for example, if five workers are injured due to 

an employer’s failure to provide guarding for machines, the employer will only be 

cited once for the violation, even though five workers were hurt. This policy further 

minimizes the level of overall penalties in enforcement cases, including fatalities. 

In 1986, OSHA instituted a policy to provide for instance-by-instance penalties in 

those cases where there was a flagrant and willful violation of the law. This ‘‘egregious’’ policy as it came to be known, was designed to penalize employers who put 

workers at risk and to send a message to other employers about the potential consequences of not complying with the law. Over the years, the egregious policy has 

had some positive impact, particularly when used as part of an industry-wide enforcement initiative, as was the case in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, when it was 

used for widespread injury reporting and ergonomic hazard violations. But in recent 

years, the impact of the policy was reduced, as Bush Administration appointees to 

the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC) took an exceedingly restrictive view of the types of violations that may be cited on an instanceby-instance basis. 

The initial citations and penalties in OSHA enforcement cases, weak to begin 

with, are reduced even further in the resolution of cases. Due to limited staff and 

resources, OSHA area directors and Department of Labor solicitors are under tremendous pressure to settle cases and avoid time consuming and costly litigation. In 

both informal settlements by the agency, and formal settlements after employer 

challenges to OSHA citations, penalties are routinely cut by another 30—50 percent. 

Another way the impact of OSHA enforcement is minimized is through downgrading the classification of citations from willful to serious, which greatly reduces 

civil penalties and undermines the possibility of criminal prosecution under the 

OSH Act. In some cases OSHA has utilized a practice of changing the characterization of willful or repeat violations to ‘‘unclassified,’’ even though the OSH Act makes 

no provision for the issuance of such citations. Employers will seek ‘‘unclassified’’ 
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violations, particularly in fatality cases, not only to undermine the potential for 

criminal prosecution, but to lessen the impact of the violations in any civil litigation 

and to keep willful or repeat violations off their safety and health record. 

The use of these ‘‘unclassified’’ violations may allow for settlements with higher 

monetary penalties or additional safety and health requirements. But these ‘‘unclassified’’ violations greatly weaken the deterrent effect of OSHA enforcement to prevent future occurrence of similar violations. 

For example, in a fatality investigation of a worker death at McWane Inc. Atlantic 

States Cast Iron Pipe Company in March 2000, OSHA downgraded four repeat violations to ‘‘unclassified’’ violations, even though the company had been cited previously for serious violations in a fatality that occurred at the same facility the year 

before. Within 6 months of these citations, 2 more workers were killed at other 

McWane facilities. The company was subsequently prosecuted for a series of violations at multiple facilities, with most of the criminal charges being brought under 

environmental laws due to weaknesses in the OSH Act. 

In another case that involved a planned inspection at the Bayer Cropscience 

chemical plant in Institute, West Virginia, in 2005 OSHA originally cited the company for 2 willful violations and 8 serious violations of the process safety management (PSM) standard and related requirements and proposed $135,000 in penalties. 

In a formal settlement the serious violations were deleted, and the 2 willful violations were changed to ‘‘unclassified’’ with a $110,000 final penalty assessed. 

In August 2008, there was a powerful explosion and fire at the Bayer facility that 

killed two plant operators and threatened the community. The explosion occurred 

when there was a runaway reaction during the restart of a methomyl unit. 

Methomyl is a highly toxic substance that is sold as a pesticide. In the preliminary 

report on its investigation of the explosion, the Chemical Safety Board found significant deficiencies in process safety management that according to the Board likely 

contributed to the accident. The CSB also found that the explosion could have been 

catastrophic. Within 80 feet of the site of the explosion, there is a 37,000 pound capacity tank of methyl isocyanate (MIC), the same chemical that caused the deaths 

of thousands in the toxic gas release in Bhopal, India in 1994. The CSB found explosion debris near the MIC unit, which if compromised could have led to a catastrophic outcome. 

The OSHA investigation of the 2008 Bayer explosion found extensive violations 

of the process safety management standard. OSHA issued 11 serious and 2 repeat 

violations, but no willful violations, and proposed $143,000 in penalties. The company contested all of the citations. 

OSHA Criminal Penalties Are Weak and Provide Almost No Deterrence 

If the civil penalties under the Occupational Safety and Health Act provide little 

deterrence or incentive for employers, the criminal penalties are even weaker. 

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, criminal penalties are limited to 

those cases where a willful violation of an OSHA standard results in the death of 

a worker, and to cases of false statements or misrepresentations. The maximum period of incarceration upon conviction is six months in jail, making these crimes a 

misdemeanor. 

The criminal penalty provisions of the OSH Act have never been updated since 

the law was enacted in 1970 and are weaker than virtually every other safety and 

environmental law. For example, since 1977 the Mine Safety and Health Act has 

provided for criminal penalties for willful violations of safety and health standards 

and knowing violations for failure to comply with orders or final decisions issued 

under the law. Unlike the OSH Act, these criminal penalties are not limited to cases 

involving a worker’s death. 

Federal environmental laws have also been strengthened over the years to provide 

for much tougher criminal penalties. The Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and 

the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act all provide for criminal prosecution for 

knowing violations of the law, and for knowing endangerment that places a person 

in imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm, with penalties of up to 15 years 

in jail. Again, there is no prerequisite for a death or serious injury to occur. 

The weak criminal penalties under the OSH Act result in relatively few prosecutions. With limited resources, federal prosecutors are not willing or able to devote 

significant time or energy to these cases. According to information provided by the 

Department of Labor, since the passage of the Act in 1970, only 79 cases have been 

prosecuted under the Act, with defendants serving a total of 89 months in jail. During this time, there were more than 360,000 workplace fatalities according to National Safety Council and BLS data, about 20 percent of which were investigated 

by federal OSHA. In FY 2009, there were 11 cases referred by DOL for possible 
128 

criminal prosecution. The Department of Justice (DOJ) has declined to prosecute 2 

of these cases; the other 9 are still under review by DOJ. 

By comparison, according to EPA in FY 2009 there were 387 criminal enforcement 

cases initiated under federal environmental laws and 200 defendants charged resulting in 76 years of jail time and $96 million in penalties—more cases, fines and 

jail time in one year than during OSHA’s entire history. The aggressive use of criminal penalties for enforcement of environmental laws and the real potential for jail 

time for corporate officials, serve as a powerful deterrent to environmental violators. 

In recent years the Justice Department launched a new Worker Endangerment 

Initiative that focuses on companies that put workers in danger while violating environmental laws. The Justice Department prosecutes these employers using the 

much tougher criminal provisions of environmental statutes. Under the initiative, 

the Justice Department has prosecuted employers such as McWane, Inc. a major 

manufacturer of cast iron pipe, responsible for the deaths of several workers; Motiva 

Enterprises, which negligently endangered workers in an explosion that killed one 

worker, injured eight others and caused major environmental releases of sulfuric 

acid; and British Petroleum for a 2005 explosion at a Texas refinery that killed 15 

workers. 

These prosecutions have led to major criminal penalties for violations of environmental laws, but at the same time underscore the weaknesses in the enforcement 

provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. 

In the Motiva case, the company pleaded guilty to endangering its workers under 

the Clean Water Act and was ordered to pay a $10 million fine. The company also 

paid more than $12 million in civil penalties for environmental violations. In contrast, in 2002 following the explosion, OSHA initially cited the company for 3 serious and 2 willful violations with proposed penalties of $161,000. As a result of a 

formal settlement, the original serious and willful citations were dropped and replaced with ‘‘unclassified’’ citations carrying $175,000 in penalties, greatly undermining any possibility of criminal enforcement under the OSH Act. 

In the BP Texas City refinery disaster, where 15 workers were killed and another 

170 injured in 2005, under a plea agreement, the company pleaded guilty to a felony 

violation of the Clean Air Act and agreed to pay $50 million in penalties and serve 

a 3-year probation. BP also agreed to pay $100 million in criminal penalties for manipulating the propane market. But BP paid no criminal penalties under the OSH 

Act, even though 15 workers died and OSHA issued hundreds of civil citations for 

willful, egregious violations of the law. And under the OSH Act, even if BP had paid 

criminal penalties, it would have been a misdemeanor, not a felony. Instead, BP 

paid $21 million in civil penalties in a settlement reached with OSHA. These civil 

penalties issued by OSHA were not sufficient to change BP’s practices. In October, 

2009, OSHA found that BP had failed to abate the hazardous conditions that caused 

the 2005 explosion. OSHA issued 270 notices of failure to abate previous hazards, 

cited the company for 439 new willful violations and proposed $87.4 million in 

fines—the largest in OSHA’s history. But under the OSHAct, OSHA has no authority to take criminal action against BP for these latest violations. 

OSHA and the Congress Should Act to Strengthen Enforcement and Penalties for 

Job Safety Violations 

Current OSHA enforcement and penalties are far too weak to provide meaningful 

incentives for employers to address job hazards or to deter violations. As a result, 

workers are exposed to serious hazards that put them in danger, and cause injury 

and death. 

Under the Obama Administration, OSHA is taking action to make enforcement 

more effective and to enhance penalties for violations that put workers in serious 

danger and cause death and injury. 

The agency is in the process of overhauling its penalty policy to more fully utilize 

its the full statutory authority to impose more meaningful penalties for serious, willful and repeat violations of the law, particularly in cases involving worker deaths. 

The Enhanced Enforcement Program (EEP) is being changed and strengthened to 

provide for enhanced enforcement, stiffer penalties and follow-up for employers who 

persistently violate the law. The new Severe Violators Enforcement program is expected shortly. 

Federal OSHA is also conducting in-depth reviews of the OSHA state plans, including the enforcement and penalty policies and practices in each of the state plan 

states. 

These initiatives will improve and strengthen OSHA enforcement. But they are 

not enough and cannot address the deficiencies in the OSH Act itself. Congressional 

action is needed. 
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The Protecting America’s Workers Act (H.R. 2067) introduced by Rep. Lynn Woolsey and Rep. George Miller would strengthen the enforcement provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. It would increase civil and criminal penalties to 

provide more meaningful penalties for those who violate the law and provide a 

greater deterrent to prevent future violations that put workers in danger. 

Specifically the bill would update the base penalties amounts in the OSH Act to 

adjust for inflationary increases since 1990 when the penalties were last raised. The 

bill would increase the penalties for serious violations to $12,000 from $7,000 and 

those for repeat and willful violations to $120,000 from $70,000, and provide for inflationary adjustments in the future. 

To ensure that penalties for violations that result in worker deaths are more than 

a slap on the wrist, the bill sets higher penalties for such violations. For serious 

violations that result in a worker death a maximum penalty of $50,000 and a minimum penalty of $20,000 is provided, with a minimum of $10,000 for smaller employers. For willful and repeat violations related to worker deaths, a maximum penalty of $250,000 and minimum of $50,000 is provided, with a minimum of $25,000 

for small employers. 

These proposed penalties are modest in comparison to those in other safety and 

health and environmental statutes. For example, in 2006 the Congress adopted the 

MINER Act which set the penalty for serious mine safety violations at $60,000 and 

penalties for flagrant violations at $220,000. 

The bill would prohibit the use of ‘‘unclassified’’ citations for violations of the law 

to ensure that the nature of a violation is specified, and the employer’s record of 

past history is clear. 

PAWA also properly strengthens the criminal provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which have not been modified since the Act’s passage in 1970. 

The bill would make criminal violations a felony, instead of a misdemeanor as is 

now the case, making it more worthwhile for prosecutors to pursue these violations. 

PAWA also expands the criminal provisions to cases where violations cause serious 

injury to workers. And it expands the criminal provisions to apply to all responsible 

corporate officers, not just the top officer or corporation itself. These enhanced criminal provisions will provide a greater incentive for management officials to exercise 

management responsibility over job safety and health, and give OSHA and the Department of Justice the tools needed to prosecute corporations and officials who 

cause the injury or death or workers. 

The Protecting America’s Workers Act is a good, sound bill that should be enacted 

into law. The AFL-CIO urges the committee to move quickly to report this legislation. 

Four decades after the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, its 

time for the country and the Congress to keep the promise to workers to protect 

them death, injury and disease on the job. 

Prepared Statement of the American Industrial Hygiene Association 

CHAIRWOMAN WOOLSEY AND MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE: The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is pleased to submit the following comments 

to the House Committee on Education and labor—Subcommittee on Workforce Protections on today’s hearing to discuss legislation that would revise penalties under 

the Occupational Safety and Health Act. 

AIHA is the premier association serving the needs of professionals involved in occupational and environmental health and safety practicing industrial hygiene in industry, government, labor, academic institutions, and independent organizations. 

The AIHA mission is to promote healthy and safe environments by advancing the 

science, principles, practice, and value of industrial and occupational hygiene. AIHA 

is not only committed to protecting and improving worker health, but the health 

and well-being of adults and children in our communities. One of AIHA’s goals is 

to bring ‘‘good science’’ and the benefits of our workplace experience to the public 

policy process directed at worker health and safety. 

As the professionals entrusted to assist employees and employers in making the 

workplace healthier and safer, AIHA is particularly pleased to submit comments on 

the issue of civil and criminal penalties. 

AIHA would also like to thank the Chairwoman and members of the Subcommittee on behalf of the millions of Americans, both employees and employers 

who desire a healthy and safe workplace, for your involvement in addressing this 

issue. Your leadership is critical to improving this country’s record of workplace-related injury and illness impacting workers, their families, and our communities. 
130 

Over the course of the last ten years, there have been numerous bipartisan legislative proposals to amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act to increase the 

penalty provisions, both civil and criminal, for those who violate OSHA rules and 

regulations that result in serious injury or a workplace fatality. While few of these 

proposals have made their way into law, it goes without saying that the sponsors 

of these measures all had the same goal—to assure the health and safety of every 

worker. AIHA shares this goal. 

In a position statement and white paper first adopted by AIHA more than ten 

years ago, AIHA stated that ‘‘OSHA penalties, including criminal penalties, are woefully inadequate and should be at least as stringent as penalties for violations of 

environmental laws’’. AIHA’s position on this issue has not changed over the years. 

With introduction of H.R. 2067, the Protecting America’s Worker Act, in this session of Congress, AIHA again reviewed the section addressing the issue of civil and 

criminal penalties and provided the following comments: 

AIHA is supportive of efforts to increase penalties on those employers that willfully violate OSH laws resulting in a fatality. AIHA supports language that makes 

‘‘corporate officers’’ responsible. AIHA is also supportive of making willful violations 

that result in a fatality a felony rather than a misdemeanor. OSHA penalties and 

enforcement should be enhanced to penalize violators who willfully put workers in 

serious danger and cause death and injury. 

Employers and others who cause the death of an employee by deliberately violating the law should be held accountable with something more than a slap on the 

wrist. Amending the OSH Act to address the issue of civil and criminal penalties 

is long overdue. AIHA went on to say, however, that with increased penalties AIHA 

recommended there be additional emphasis on correctly identifying the person who 

was truly responsible for the willful violation. AIHA is concerned the health and 

safety professional will become the ‘‘fall guy’’ even if an investigation shows these 

individuals were making efforts to comply with federal law and their recommendations were overruled or ignored by those with more authority. 

Proposed Changes to HR 2067 Penalty Provisions 

AIHA understands the sponsors of HR 2067 intend to propose several changes to 

the original legislation regarding the civil and criminal penalty sections. 

Civil Penalties 

The proposed changes ‘‘would eliminate the $50,000 penalty for fatalities associated with the ‘‘other than serious’’ category of violations—the lowest gravity violation under the Act. By definition ‘‘other than serious violations’’ are low gravity violations and not linked to fatalities. The proposal also would eliminate the $50,000 

penalty for fatalities associated with failure to abate. Failure to abate violations are 

assessed on a daily basis for each day the violation continues, and at a rate of 

$12,000 per day, the $50,000 could inadvertently serve as a ceiling after only 5 days 

of violations’’. 

AIHA offers our support for this proposed change. 

Criminal Penalties 

Proposed changes ‘‘would alter the mens rea (mental state) requirements for a 

criminal case from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing.’’ Under the introduced PAWA, an employer 

cannot be convicted under the criminal law unless that employer has acted ‘‘willfully’’ and such willful act caused the death or serious injury to a worker. This requires proof that an employer knew not only that its actions were wrong, but that 

they were unlawful as well. This ‘‘willful’’ standard is not a familiar one in the 

criminal law context, and the norm is to require a ‘‘knowing’’ standard of proof in 

which an actor knows that his or her conduct was wrong. Under this standard, employers cannot escape liability by claiming that they did not know what the law required. Note: under either standard a prosecutor would still have to prove that an 

actor is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.’’ 

AIHA offers our support for this proposed change. 

Another proposed change ‘‘would alter the definition of employer (who could be 

subject to criminal penalties) from ‘‘any responsible corporate officer’’ to an ‘‘officer 

or director.’’ Under current law, only a corporation or sole proprietor can be liable 

for criminal penalties. The introduced PAWA attempts to broaden this definition so 

high-level officials (individuals) who act criminally can be prosecuted. The change 

to ‘‘officer or director’’ simply clarified that the criminal penalties can reach up to 

the higher levels of a company, providing that an officer or director has engaged in 

criminal conduct that causes the death or serious injury of a worker.’’ 

AIHA offers our support for this proposed change. 

In AIHA’s original comments on HR 2067 we raised the concern that there be additional emphasis on correctly identifying the person who was truly responsible for 
131 

the willful violation. AIHA was concerned the health and safety professional would 

become the ‘‘fall guy’’ even if an investigation showed these individuals were making 

efforts to comply with federal law and their recommendations were overruled or ignored by those with more authority. AIHA is pleased the sponsors of HR 2067 have 

agreed this section was somewhat vague and language was needed to assure all individuals are responsible for workplace health and safety. 

There continues to be much debate on whether or not criminal penalties are adequate to deter health and safety violations. While this debate will likely continue, 

AIHA supports efforts to take the next step in addressing this issue by raising both 

civil and criminal penalties. 

There are also those who argue that OSHA has been much too lenient in allowing 

for penalties to be lowered for violations, but the fact is the agency has been forced 

to negotiate lower penalties for various reasons, including a lack of resources. It is 

the hope of AIHA that Congress recognizes this problem and provides adequate resources. AIHA still remains concerned that this lack of resources will force the agency to appropriate already scarce resources from other sectors within the agency in 

order to adequately investigate violations that are both civil and criminal. 

Conclusion 

AIHA is aware there may be many additional thoughts that have been, or will 

be, discussed when addressing specific sections of HR 2067. AIHA stands ready to 

assist you and Congress in every way possible in developing solutions that will best 

protect workers. 

Prepared Statement of Hon. Thomasina V. Rogers, Chairman, 

Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission 

Thank you for requesting a statement for the record on the subject of this hearing, the penalty provisions of H.R. 2067, ‘‘Protecting America’s Workers Act.’’ The 

Subcommittee has specifically requested a statement concerning the effect that the 

proposed increase in civil penalties contained in Section 310 would have on the 

workload of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (‘‘Review Commission’’). In addition, I have included some brief comments on the potential impact 

on the Review Commission of recent proposed changes to H.R. 2067. 

I. Background on the Review Commission 

The Review Commission was established by the Occupational Safety and Health 

Act of 1970 as an adjudicatory agency that serves as an administrative court providing fair and expeditious resolution of disputes involving the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers charged 

with violations of OSHA standards, and employees and/or their representatives. The 

Review Commission is an independent agency, separate from the Department of 

Labor and OSHA. 

After an inspection or investigation, OSHA may issue an employer a citation alleging a workplace health or safety violation. If the employer disagrees with any 

part of the citation, including the proposed penalty, it must notify OSHA by filing 

a written notice of contest within 15 working days of receiving the citation. (An employee or representative of employees may also file a notice of contest alleging that 

the time period for abatement in the citation is unreasonable.) The Secretary of 

Labor transmits the notice of contest and all relevant documents to the Review 

Commission’s Executive Secretary for filing and docketing. After the case is docketed, it is forwarded to the Office of the Chief Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) for 

assignment to an ALJ. The case is generally assigned to an ALJ in the Review Commission office closest to where the alleged violation occurred. The Review Commission currently has twelve ALJs serving in three offices—Atlanta, Denver, and Washington. Thereafter, the ALJ has full responsibility for all pre-hearing procedures, 

and is charged with providing a fair and impartial hearing in an expeditious manner and promptly rendering a decision. 

After the ALJ issues the decision, any party may file a Petition for Discretionary 

Review requesting review of the decision by the Commission, which is composed of 

three Members who are appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each Commission member has the authority to direct a case for 

review by the full Commission. Absent such a direction for review, the ALJ’s decision becomes final by operation of law, but is subject to further appeal to a United 

States Court of Appeals. Once a case is directed for review, the Commission has authority to review all aspects of a case, including the ALJ’s findings of fact, conclusions of law, and penalty assessments. A final Commission decision may be also appealed to an appropriate United States Court of Appeals. 
132 

Although the Review Commission is charged with the same goals under the Act 

as OSHA, the advancement of worker safety, we play a different but complementary 

role. OSHA is the rulemaking, enforcement, and policy development agency, while 

the Review Commission is the neutral adjudicatory agency, calling balls and strikes. 

Thus, we do not take a position on the merits of the proposed legislation. Rather, 

we defer to the policy-making role of agencies such as the Department of Labor and 

the Department of Justice, and to the Congress. Our chief concern, therefore, is how 

any proposed legislation might affect the Review Commission’s ability to fairly and 

expeditiously resolve disputes within our resource constraints. Needless to say, we 

will faithfully implement any new legislation that may be enacted to the best of our 

ability. 

II. Caseload Trends Under Current Law 

Before discussing the proposed legislation, I should note that the Review Commission has experienced a recent increase in the cases received at the ALJ level. For 

example, between October 1, 2008 and March 1, 2009, our ALJs received 790 cases. 

During the same period this fiscal year, October 1, 2009 and March 1, 2010, our 

ALJs received 981 cases, an increase of approximately 24 percent. This increase in 

cases so far this fiscal year may be part of a trend reflecting increased enforcement 

activity by OSHA. Indeed, based on this trend, the Review Commission expects to 

receive about 2,350 cases this fiscal year. In addition, we understand that OSHA 

may be considering administrative changes in its penalty proposal process and 

guidelines, which could increase the number of citations that are contested and, in 

turn, our caseload at the ALJ level and, over time, at the Commission level. 

Looking further ahead, OSHA has projected an increase in inspections from 

40,549 in fiscal year 2009 to an estimated 42,250 in fiscal year 2011, an increase 

of about four percent. In our fiscal year 2011 budget submission, we have projected 

an increase in new cases at the ALJ level from 2,058 in fiscal year 2009 to an estimated 2,450 in fiscal year 2011, an increase of approximately 19 percent. 

III. The Proposed Legislation 

The Subcommittee has asked me to address how the proposed increase in civil 

penalty levels would affect the Review Commission and its resource needs. Under 

the proposed legislation, the maximum penalty for a serious or non-serious violation 

would generally increase from $7,000 to $12,000, while the maximum penalty for 

a willful or repeat violation would generally increase from $70,000 to $120,000. The 

statutory minimum penalty for a willful violation would increase from $5,000 to 

$8,000. The maximum daily penalty for a failure to abate would increase from 

$7,000 to $12,000. In addition, there would be enhanced penalties where a violation 

causes the death of an employee. Finally, penalties would be subject to periodic adjustment by the Secretary of Labor based on inflation. 

An increase in statutory penalty levels would likely lead to an increase in the penalty amounts proposed by OSHA for cited violations. In turn, employers may be 

more likely to challenge these higher proposed penalties, increasing the contest rate 

and our caseload. The increase in caseload would initially affect the ALJ level, and, 

over time, would likely affect the Commission level as well. 

I am hopeful that the Review Commission can handle this potential increase in 

caseload with only minor adjustments and without a need for significantly increased 

resources. Our dedicated corps of ALJs and their use of innovative procedures has 

helped us successfully manage our caseload at the ALJ level. For example, the use 

of ‘‘simplified proceedings’’ has expedited the resolution of simpler cases and the use 

of ‘‘settlement part’’ procedures, including the use of settlement judges, has aided 

in the settlement of larger cases. We are continually evaluating these programs to 

improve their effectiveness and will continue to explore innovative dispute resolution techniques to help us address any caseload increase. 

The Review Commission has been very successful over the years in meeting our 

performance goals under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) at 

the ALJ level. (Unfortunately, at the Commission level we have been less successful 

in meeting our GPRA goals, largely due to turnover in membership, Commission vacancies, and an inventory of complex legacy cases, which we hope to resolve in the 

near future.) Indeed, in fiscal year 2009, the ALJs decided 98 percent of non-complex cases and 96 percent of complex cases within a year. Ninety-nine percent of 

complex cases were decided within 18 months. However, we are mindful of the Committee’s recent hearing on the backlog of contested cases at our sister agency, the 

Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), and we would like 

to be able to responsibly anticipate to the extent possible what may happen to our 

resource needs down the road. Yet, as is evidenced by the situation at FMSHRC, 

it is hard to reliably predict the effects of a change in law on caseload. We are com-
133 

mitted to exploring all available efficiencies before seeking new resources. But, if 

current trends escalate and/or new legislation results in a further increase in our 

caseload, and additional efficiencies prove unavailing, we may need to consider adding additional judges and staff. 

IV. Potential Impact of Proposed Changes to the Legislation 

I should note that certain proposed changes to H.R. 2067 would directly affect the 

Review Commission. I will briefly mention two such provisions and my concerns 

about how those provisions might work in practice at the Review Commission. 

In particular, I understand one provision would establish a procedure before the 

Review Commission for employers to seek an expedited stay of abatement requirements. Any such procedure should allow our judges adequate time to schedule any 

necessary hearings and rule on the stay requests. We currently have 12 judges nationwide (located in three offices—Washington, Atlanta, and Denver) who may already have hearings on the merits of cases or settlement conferences scheduled 

months in advance. Unlike US District Court judges who are located throughout the 

country in fixed courthouses, our judges travel to their hearings and conferences, 

which are generally scheduled close to the locations of the parties and witnesses. 

These hearings and conferences are usually held in loaned space using public courthouses. These concerns might be ameliorated by a 60-day period for consideration 

of a stay request, with an option allowing the Chief Judge to extend that period in 

specific cases. 

In addition, such a new procedure would have other resource implications for the 

Review Commission which are difficult to predict at the present time. But it is likely 

that the shorter the time period allowed for consideration of a stay request, the 

greater the resource implications would be, including the potential need to secure 

space for hearings on short notice. The volume of stay requests will also be a significant factor. 

I am concerned about how the provision to contest modifications of citations would 

work in practice. Under our current rules, an election of party status to participate 

in a case must be made at least ten days before the hearing, unless good cause is 

shown. Allowing additional notices of contests with respect to a modified citation to 

be filed at any stage of a case, even after a hearing has been completed, could complicate and prolong case resolution. 

I would be glad to elaborate further upon these concerns. Needless to say, I would 

welcome the opportunity to continue to work with the Subcommittee on our concerns during the legislative process. 

I hope my comments have been helpful to the Subcommittee. 

Prepared Statement of Tonya Ford, Lincoln, NE 

My name is Tonya Ford and I am the proud niece of Robert Fitch or as I call 

him Uncle Bobby. He was killed in horrible, preventable work related accident at 

a local ADM Grain Milling plant located in Lincoln, NE on January 29, 2009. 

I have to be the first to admit that I and many others are not aware of how many 

work related deaths and or injuries there are in the United States unless you have 

been in our shoes. But, please let me tell you there are approximately 16 deaths 

a day in the United States due to a work related accident. 

I have read over the current Protect America’s Workers Act and believe that these 

changes are in need, to protect the workers that make the United States what it 

is today, to honor the loved ones that we all have lost in the past due to a work 

related accident, and to respect the families that fight for their loved ones that want 

answers. 

After much research I have discovered that deaths and injuries have decreased 

since the creation of OSHA, however so much more needs to be done to make sure 

that going to work is not a grave mistake. 

I have been told many times that OSHA does not fine a company for the death 

of an employee. OSHA determines the cause of death and fines for what causes the 

death, the amount is not determined by the individual however by the rules and 

regulations of what killed the individual. In saying that how many chances does a 

company get when it comes to hazardous devices or structure, hazardous material 

that takes a life and or injures someone. We as family members and employees of 

companies believe that if a company knows that a device is considered hazardous 

and they did not remove and or update the device to meet updated guidelines then 

the company should be held accountable for this death and or injury. By raising civil 

penalties and indexes those penalties to inflation and by allowing felony prosecutions against employers who commit willful violations that result in death or serious 
134 

bodily injury, and extends such penalties to responsible corporate officers, all employers will be more aware of how to make their company safe and protect their 

employees when they know their are more consequences. 

Other important facts in the current Protecting American’s Worker Act is to require OSHA to investigate all cases of death and serious injuries. Currently it states 

that it must be reported to OSHA if there are three injuries that resulted in going 

to the hospital. One accident is enough, and should be used to know that something 

is wrong or unsafe. It should not take multiple accidents and or a death to make 

awareness to a safety issue. I believe also that OSHA should re-investigate a company unannounced within 6-18 months from the death, when there is a death at 

a company. I have been told by many people that OSHA is under staffed and this 

is the reasoning for them not to re-investigate a company and or go and investigate 

a company if there are not 3 or more reported injuries. One of the ways is to expands OSHA coverage is to include state and local public employees and also federal 

government workers. 

I would like to mention a big issue that is brought up in this act. Is improving 

Whistleblower Protections, this is very important as employees should feel safe at 

work and know that if they are to contact OSHA, because there is a safety issue 

at the company they can not lose their job. You will not believe in my research and 

fight to make a difference how many people contact me and state, ‘‘I can’t talk, but 

I wish I could the economy is bad and I need my job.’’ 

Clarifying that employees cannot be discriminated against for reporting injuries, 

illnesses or unsafe conditions, and brings the procedures for investigating and adjudicating discrimination complaints into line with other safety and health and whistleblower laws, is very important and can prevent a death or injury. 

As a family member that no longer has her Uncle, I would like to mention that 

my Uncle, Dad and Grandfather were or are employed by ADM currently today, in 

saying that many men and women work at places not because they want to or 

choose to but, because they have children at home, a roof to put over their heads, 

food to put in their stomach and clothes on there back. It is the hard work and the 

hands of people such as my Uncle, Dad and Grandfather that makes these companies what they are today; a success. It is the employers that must protect these 

workers or serve the consequences after all many of them make a billion dollars a 

year, and do nothing to protect and honor the people that made their company what 

it is today and will be tomorrow. 

Please know that I am not just one person speaking about one family, I lost my 

Uncle but, I write you on behalf of all families that are standing in my shoes, that 

have lost their son, brother, mother, father, daughter * * * I write you because 

things must change and everything that is mentioned in the Protecting American 

Workers Act, is very important and us people that work day by day, paycheck to 

paycheck want to know and need to know that our children, friends and family will 

be protected and honored when they go to work. As stated before going to work 

should not be a grave mistake. 

To read more about my story and fines that ADM did not incur for the cause of 

my Uncles death, please ready additional documentation. 

I thank you again for your time and please know how important this is. 

MAXIMUM PENALTIES ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, 2000 TO 2010 

Current Max Penalty 

for a Willful Violation 

Penalty Adjusted for Inflation Using the CPI Current Max Penalty 

for a Serious 

Violation 

Penalty Adjusted for Inflation Using the CPI 

Year Amount Year Amount 

$70,000 2010 $116,053 $7,000 2010 $11,605 

2009 $114,901 2009 $11,490 

2008 $115,311 2008 $11,531 

2007 $111,048 2007 $11,105 

2006 $107,972 2006 $10,797 

2005 $104,598 2005 $10,460 

2004 $101,171 2004 $10,117 

2003 $98,546 2003 $9,855 

2002 $96,350 2002 $9,635 

2001 $94,851 2001 $9,485 

2000 $92,226 2000 $9,223 
135 

Mr. FRUMIN. Madam Chair—and I would ask that—I had a document I wanted to enter into the record as well. This was the indictment of the Xcel Corporation in Colorado. 

Chairwoman WOOLSEY. Without objection. 

[Additional submissions of Mr. Frumin follow:] 
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Chairwoman WOOLSEY. So with that as—this meeting is almost 

adjourned. But, first, as previously ordered, members will have 14 

days to submit additional materials for the hearing record. And 

any member who wishes to submit follow-up questions in writing, 

to the witnesses, should coordinate with majority staff within 14 

days. 

Without objection, this hearing is adjourned. 

[The statement of Mr. Miller follows:] 
150 

Prepared Statement of Hon. George Miller, Chairman, 

Committee on Education and Labor 

I want to commend Chairwoman Woolsey for her leadership in moving forward 

with legislative hearings as part our efforts to ensure that America’s workers are 

protected while on the job. 

As Congresswoman Woolsey noted, there has been significant progress made over 

the past four decades in improving worker safety. 

Through our many hearings over the last three years, we found that there are 

employers who comply with worker safety laws and care about protecting their 

workers. 

However, we have also learned that there are still a number employers who knowingly and repeatedly fail to protect their workers from death or serious bodily injury 

on the job. 

For these employers, current law does not provide that credible deterrent. Some, 

in fact, consider OSHA’s weak penalties the cost of doing business. 

That is why we must update the law and provide a credible deterrent. 

A few states that run their own health and safety program have tried to take the 

lead in modernizing penalties. 

In 2000, California increased its maximum penalty for a serious violation from 

7,000 to $25,000, and increased penalties for criminal violations 

And more recently, Wyoming is attempting to improve its highest-in-the-nation 

workplace fatality rate by strengthening their penalties. 

Wyoming’s governor is pushing reform that mirrors the civil penalties in the bill 

before us today. 

He wrote the committee last week urging us to adopt the higher penalty structure 

in the bill before us today. 

However, states cannot do it alone because of significant political pressure. 

Every worker in this country deserves to have the same basic protections while 

on the job. 

The Protecting America’s Workers Act will bring our nation’s health and safety 

laws into the 21st century. It gives OSHA the tools to enforce safe and healthy 

workplaces for all American workers. 

I am encouraged that the Obama administration is returning to OSHA’s mission 

of protecting workers by working on new standards and strengthening enforcement 

activities. 

But, OSHA will need additional help through improvements to the law. 

Again, Chairwoman Woolsey, thank you for your leadership on this important 

issue. 

[Submission of Ms. Titus follows:] 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4864 

To require a heightened review process by the Secretary of Labor 

of State occupational safety and health plans, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

March 16, 2010 

Ms. Titus (for herself and Ms. Woolsey) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 

Labor 

A BILL 

To require a heightened review process by the Secretary of Labor 

of State occupational safety and health plans, and for other 

purposes. 
151 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of 

America in Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ensuring Worker Safety Act’’. 

SEC. 2. REVIEW OF STATE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PLANS. 

Section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (29 U.S.C. 668) is amended—— 

(1) by amending subsection (f) to read as follows: 

‘‘(f)(1) The Secretary shall, on the basis of reports submitted by the State agency 

and the Secretary’s own inspections, make a continuing evaluation of the manner 

in which each State that has a plan approved under this section is carrying out such 

plan. Such evaluation shall include an assessment of whether the State continues 

to meet the requirements of subsection (c) of this section and any other criteria or 

indices of effectiveness specified by the Secretary in regulations. Whenever the Secretary finds, on the basis of such evaluation, that in the administration of the State 

plan there is a failure to comply substantially with any provision of the State plan 

(or any assurance contained therein), the Secretary shall make an initial determination of whether the failure is of such a nature that the plan should be withdrawn 

or whether the failure is of such a nature that the State should be given the opportunity to remedy the deficiencies, and provide notice of the Secretary’s findings and 

initial determination. 

‘‘(2) If the Secretary makes an initial determination to reassert and exercise concurrent enforcement authority while the State is given an opportunity to remedy the 

deficiencies, the Secretary shall afford the State an opportunity for a public hearing 

within 15 days of such request, provided that such request is made not later than 

10 days after Secretary’s notice to the State. The Secretary shall review and consider the testimony, evidence, or written comments, and not later than 30 days following such hearing, make a determination to affirm, reverse, or modify the Secretary’s initial determination to reassert and exercise concurrent enforcement authority under sections 8, 9, 10, 13, and 17 with respect to standards promulgated 

under section 6 and obligations under section 5(a). Following such a determination 

by the Secretary, or in the event that the State does not request a hearing within 

the time frame set forth in this paragraph, the Secretary may reassert and exercise 

such concurrent enforcement authority, while a final determination is pending 

under paragraph (3) or until the Secretary has determined that the State has remedied the deficiencies as provided under paragraph (4). Such determination shall be 

published in the Federal Register. The procedures set forth in section 18(g) shall 

not apply to a determination by the Secretary to reassert and exercise such concurrent enforcement authority. 

‘‘(3) If the Secretary makes an initial determination that the plan should be withdrawn, the Secretary shall provide due notice and the opportunity for a hearing. If 

based on the evaluation, comments, and evidence, the Secretary makes a final determination that there is a failure to comply substantially with any provision of the 

State plan (or any assurance contained therein), he shall notify the State agency 

of the withdrawal of approval of such plan and upon receipt of such notice such plan 

shall cease to be in effect, but the State may retain jurisdiction in any case commenced before the withdrawal of the plan in order to enforce standards under the 

plan whenever the issues involved do not relate to the reasons for the withdrawal 

of the plan. 

‘‘(4) If the Secretary makes a determination that the State should be provided the 

opportunity to remedy the deficiencies, the Secretary shall provide the State an opportunity to respond to the Secretary’s findings and the opportunity to remedy such 

deficiencies within a time period established by the Secretary, not to exceed 1 year. 

The Secretary may extend and revise the time period to remedy such deficiencies, 

if the State’s legislature is not in session during this 1 year time period, or if the 

State demonstrates that it is not feasible to correct the deficiencies in the time period set by the Secretary, and the State has a plan to correct the deficiencies within 

a reasonable time period. If the Secretary finds that the State agency has failed to 

remedy such deficiencies within the time period specified by the Secretary and that 

the State plan continues to fail to comply substantially with a provision of the State 

plan, the Secretary shall withdraw the State plan as provided for in paragraph (3).’’; 

and 

(2) by adding at the end the following new subsection: 

‘‘(i) Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this subsection, and 

every 5 years thereafter, the Comptroller General shall complete and issue a review 

of the effectiveness of State plans to develop and enforce safety and health standards to determine if they are at least as effective as the Federal program and to 
152 

evaluate whether the Secretary’s oversight of State plans is effective. The Comptroller General’s evaluation shall assess—— 

‘‘(1) the effectiveness of the Secretary’s oversight of State plans, including the indices of effectiveness used by the Secretary; 

‘‘(2) whether the Secretary’s investigations in response to Complaints About State 

Plan Administration (CASPA) are adequate, whether significant policy issues have 

been identified by headquarters and corrective actions are fully implemented by 

each State; 

‘‘(3) whether the formula for the distribution of funds described in section 23(g) 

to State programs is fair and adequate; 

‘‘(4) whether State plans are as effective as the Federal program in preventing occupational injuries, illnesses and deaths, and investigating discrimination complaints, through an evaluation of at least 20 percent of approved State plans, and 

which shall cover—— 

‘‘(A) enforcement effectiveness, including handling of fatalities, serious incidents 

and complaints, compliance with inspection procedures, hazard recognition, 

verification of abatement, violation classification, citation and penalty issuance, including appropriate use of willful and repeat citations, and employee involvement; 

‘‘(B) inspections, the number of programmed health and safety inspections at private and public sector establishments, and whether the State targets the highest 

hazard private sector work sites and facilities in that State; 

‘‘(C) budget and staffing, including whether the State is providing adequate budget resources to hire, train and retain sufficient numbers of qualified staff, including 

timely filling of vacancies; 

‘‘(D) administrative review, including the quality of decisions, consistency with 

Federal precedence, transparency of proceedings, decisions and records are available 

to the public, adequacy of State defense, and whether the State appropriately appeals adverse decisions; 

‘‘(E) antidiscrimination, including whether discrimination complaints are processed in a timely manner, whether supervisors and investigators are properly 

trained to investigate discrimination complaints, whether a case file review indicates merit cases are properly identified consistent with Federal policy and procedure, whether employees are notified of their rights, and whether there is an effective process for employees to appeal the dismissal of a complaint; 

‘‘(F) program administration, including whether the State’s standards and policies 

are at least as effective as the Federal program and are updated in a timely manner, and whether National Emphasis Programs that are applicable in such States 

are adopted and implemented in a manner that is at least as effective as the Federal program; 

‘‘(G) whether the State plan satisfies the requirements for approval set forth in 

this section and its implementing regulations; and 

‘‘(H) other such factors identified by the Comptroller General, or as requested by 

the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives or the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.’’. 

[Questions submitted to witnesses for the record and their responses follow:] 

[VIA FACSIMILE AND EMAIL], 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

Washington, DC, March 19, 2010. 

Hon. JOHN CRUDEN, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, 

Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001. 

DEAR DEPUTY ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL CRUDEN: Thank you for testifying 

at the Subcommittee’s hearing, ‘‘Protecting America’s Workers Act: Modernizing 

OSHA Penalties’’ held on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. 

Committee Members had additional questions for which they would like written 

responses from you for the hearing record. 

Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) asks the following questions: 

(1) Your testimony says that there is little incentive for prosecutors to take Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) misdemeanor referrals because 

the Department of Justice (DOJ) must reserve limited resources for crimes designated as felonies. Over the past 5 years, what percentage of OSHA criminal referrals did the DOJ or US Attorney reject because OSHA criminal penalties were classified as misdemeanors? Would DOJ’s posture towards OSHA criminal cases change, 

if OSHA criminal violations were classified as felonies? 
153 

(2) What is the state of mind necessary to prove a criminal violation under the 

‘‘knowing’’ standard? How does this differ from the mens rea provision in the current Section 17 of OSHA which uses a ‘‘willful’’ standard? Does DOJ have a view 

regarding which standard should be used in our efforts to modernize the OSHA act? 

(3) Under the March 9, 2010, discussion draft, what elements have to be proven 

to establish a criminal violation? Will employers be subject to a criminal prosecution 

every time an employee is killed on the job, and OSHA finds a violation linked to 

it? 

(4) Who should be held liable in a criminal prosecution under the OSHA Act? Individual workers or corporate managers and directors? 

(5) Is mere negligence sufficient to establish a criminal violation? What about 

recklessness? 

(6) Mr. Frumin’s testimony states that where employers use contract labor for especially hazardous tasks, the potential criminal sanctions are non-existent under 

OSHA for the corporations and executives who control the workplace. In your view, 

should this problem be corrected in PAWA? How should it be changed? 

Please send an electronic version of your written response to the questions in 

Microsoft Word format to Lynn Dondis and Richard Miller of the Committee staff 

at lynn.dondis@mail.house.gov and richard.miller@mail.house.gov by close of business Tuesday, March 30, 2010, the date on which the hearing record will close. If 

you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Dondis or Mr. Miller 

at 202-225-3275. 

Sincerely, 

GEORGE MILLER, Chairman. 
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159 

March 30, 2010. 

Hon. GEORGE MILLER, Chairman, 

House Committee on Education and Labor, U. S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. 

DEAR CHAIRMAN MILLER: Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to testify before the Subcommittee on March 16, concerning OSHA penalties. The following are my responses to the questions you sent me on March 19, from Ms. Woolsey. 

Examples of employers for whom higher penalties would have made a difference 

in deterring employer violations 

There are several examples of cases where initial penalties should have made a 

difference, but failed to do so. For instance, in the report of the Senate HELP Committee Majority Staff on fatality inspections (reference #9 in my prepared testimony), the Staff identified several employers with repeated fatalities involving simi-
160 

lar hazards and violations. Among the most notorious is the Patterson-UTI drilling 

contractor in the oil/gas drilling industry. The Senate report described PattersonUTI as follows: 

OSHA’s history with Patterson-UTI Drilling Company, one of the worst violators 

of workplace safety laws, provides a sobering and instructive example of the agency’s complete failure to check reckless and outrageous conduct. Since 2003, 13 workers have been killed at Patterson jobsites in the state of Texas alone. OSHA’s attempts to stop Patterson from gambling with workers’ lives are a study in weakness. 

(p. 24). 

The report then details repeated instances of multiple cases, Between November 

2003 and April 2007, when OSHA conducted inspections, imposed penalties—often 

for repeated violations—and subsequently reduced those penalties. 

Another example is that of Waste Management, Inc. (WMI) As the Subcommittee 

heard in its hearing on OSHA’s EEP program on April 30, 2009, WMI was identified 

by the DOL Inspector General in his review of OSHA ‘‘Enhanced Enforcement Program.’’ As the IG noted, WMI was one of nearly 30employers whose workers were 

killed on the job, and where, as the IG stated: 

[the company] had related serious violations and/or qualifying prior history, and 

should have been designated as EEP [as employers who were indifferent to their 

compliance obligations under the OSHAct]. 

Another example is the Cintas Corp. As I mentioned in my testimony, and as the 

Subcommittee heard at its hearing on April 23, 2008, prior to the death of Eleazar 

Torres Gomez on March 6, 2007, Cintas was aware of the high risk of death from 

the unguarded equipment in its laundry operations. After OSHA cited the company 

for a serious violation (when OSHA was unfortunately unaware of the company’s 

detailed prior knowledge), the penalty of $2250 was simply too low to serve as an 

effective deterrent. 

Finally, in the case of BP, even a record $21 million penalty in 2007 following 

the horrific explosion in Texas City, TX that killed 15 employees and injured 170 

more was not enough to convince the employer to fully comply with the law. For 

that reason, OSHA has now had to impose a 4-fold higher penalty of $87 million, 

the majority of which was for failure to abate the violations identified in the settlement agreement accompanying the $21 million penalty. 

And it appears that even the $87 million penalty was not enough to convince the 

company to comply. Again, on March 8, OSHA has imposed a $3 million penalty on 

a BP joint venture in Toledo, OH, for dozens of willful violations. As OSHA itself 

described the citation and penalty: 

‘‘OSHA has found that BP often ignored or severely delayed fixing known hazards 

in its refineries,’’ said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. ‘‘There is no excuse for taking chances with people’s lives. BP must fix the hazards now.’’ OSHA began its inspection at the refinery located near Toledo, Ohio, in September 2009 as part of the 

agency’s Refinery National Emphasis Program and as a follow-up to a 2006 inspection and a 2007 settlement agreement between OSHA and BP at this location. Although the 2009 inspection found that BP had complied with the settlement agreement, OSHA found numerous violations at the plant not previously covered by the 

agreement. 

Clearly, the deterrent function of the Act has failed to convince employers to comply with the law. A more powerful penalty structure is sorely needed. But civil penalties alone will not be sufficient, especially when dealing with employers like 

Cintas, Waste Management and BP, for whom millions of dollars in civil penalties 

are at worst a nuisance, and have little impact on the profits or share prices by 

which executives are routinely judged by Boards of Directors and stockholders. For 

these reasons, it is critical that Congress give OSHA the authority to impose effective criminal sanctions as well. 

Limitations on multi-employer liability 

My testimony stated that: 

Under the current OSHA statute, with the exception of the construction industry, 

only the contractor business itself as well as its officers, could be held accountable 

for allowing those conditions to exist in the first place. The huge corporations which 

hire these disreputable contractors are exempt from liability for OSHA violations 

and subsequent prosecution. 

I regret that this testimony is in error, and wish to correct the record. In fact, 

OSHA has the authority to cite employers outside of the construction industry for 

hazards and violations which affect the employees of their contractors. OSHA has 

indeed issued citations for violations by ‘‘controlling’’ employers, irrespective of industry. Furthermore, it has expressed that policy in OSHA Instruction CPL 02-00- 

124, Multi-Employer Citation Policy, December 10, 1999, as well as its Field Oper-
161 

ations Manual. That policy has been upheld by several Courts of Appeals, most recently in by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in Solis v. Summit Contractors, 

Feb. 26, 2009. 

The policy reads as follows: 

Multi-employer Worksite Policy. The following is the multi-employer citation policy: 

A. Multi-employer Worksites. On multi-employer worksites (in all industry sectors), more than one employer may be citable for a hazardous condition that violates 

an OSHA standard. A two-step process must be followed in determining whether 

more than one employer is to be cited. 

1. Step One. The first step is to determine whether the employer is a creating, 

exposing, correcting, or controlling employer. The definitions in paragraphs (B)—(E) 

below explain and give examples of each. Remember that an employer may have 

multiple roles (see paragraph H). Once you determine the role of the employer, go 

to Step Two to determine if a citation is appropriate (NOTE: only exposing employers can be cited for General Duty Clause violations). 

2. Step Two. If the employer falls into one of these categories, it has obligations 

with respect to OSHA requirements. Step Two is to determine if the employer’s actions were sufficient to meet those obligations. The extent of the actions required 

of employers varies based on which category applies. Note that the extent of the 

measures that a controlling employer must take to satisfy its duty to exercise reasonable care to prevent and detect violations is less than what is required of an employer with respect to protecting its own employees. 

However, as has also been clear, OSHA’s application of this policy has not deterred subcontractor employers from repeatedly committing violations that have resulted in the death of employees—even when OSHA’s own standards requiring the 

controlling employer to affirmatively act to prevent such abuses by their contractors. 

The recent example cited in my testimony of Xcel Energy is a graphic version of 

these abuses. During my testimony, I submitted a copy of the indictment secured 

by the US Attorney for the Middle District of Colorado, accusing Xcel Energy of 

‘‘aiding and abetting’’ the employer of the employees trapped in Xcel’s hydroelectric 

tunnel when the chemicals they used caught fire and killed them. To further underscore the severity of Xcel’s own involvement, attached are the citations issued by 

OSHA against Xcel itself, noting the specific failures by Xcel that OSHA found regarding the adoption and implementation of ‘‘confined Space’’ hazards for contractor 

employees. Note Willful violation #1 and Serious Violation #5 concerning the actions 

which Xcel should have taken to assure the safety of its own as well as its contractor employees. 

Sadly, despite these apparent failures by Xcel, neither Xcel nor its executives 

were ever charged with violations leading to the death of the contractor employees. 

Xcel’s only crime was aiding and abetting the contractor. 

The application of the policy has also faced serious limits in requiring the controlling employer to deal effectively with the underlying conditions that threaten the 

contractor’s workers. In the meatpacking industry, cleaning contractors are routinely used by host employers to ‘‘do the dirty work’’ of the daily cleaning of processing equipment. One such contractor—DCS Sanitation—has literally become a 

‘‘textbook case’’ of lockout violations. OSHA offers such a case from a 1993 fatality 

at an IBP, Inc. plant on OSHA’s web training materials for willful violations of the 

lockout standard: 

http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/lototraining/caselaw/cl-overvw.html. 

In 1998, however, the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals absolved IBP 

itself of any liability for the violations surrounding this horrible death, in a decision 

written by Judge Silberman on behalf of himself and Judges Edwards and Ginsburg. 

Without debating further the details of the IBP case, suffice it to say that OSHA 

will continue to face challenges when its leverage over such employers is so weak. 

However, that hasn’t stopped DCS from continuing to commit serious violations. 

In April, 2008, OSHA cited DCS for multiple serious as well as a willful and repeat 

violation following the death of one of its employees at a chicken processing plant 

in Missouri. 

A similar scenario has apparently occurred at the notorious BP refinery in Texas. 

In this case, BP instead of the contractor was clearly involved in creating the conditions which killed the employees. But despite BP’s multitude of violations leading 

to the conditions which killed 15 contractor employees, BP was never held criminally accountable for the workers’ deaths under the OSHAct. The indictment (attached) only charged BP with knowing violations of the Clean Air Act. As David 

Senko, one of the supervisors of the deceased workers, recently remarked at a 5- 

year anniversary of the tragedy about the consequences for BP executives: 
162 

‘‘Not one, none, have been disciplined, fined, terminated, indicted, tried, incarcerated or held accountable in any way for their very preventable, criminal, almost 

murderous, event that took place five years ago.’’ 

In sum, OSHA needs additional tools and authority to clearly hold all host employers responsible for assuring safe conditions when they contract with other employers to assign workers to dangerous tasks, and a clear path to holding host employers accountable when they fail to do so. We see no other effective way to assure 

that all workers are protected, irrespective of which employer is actually creating 

or controlling the hazards. With the increasing use of contractors, this is a critical 

next stop for modernizing OSHA penalties. 

Mr. Snare’s mischaracterization of alleged ‘‘witch hunts’’. 

I completely reject the notion that any expansion of criminal liability to ‘‘corporate 

officer and director’’ will necessarily lead to a ‘‘witch hunt.’’ As Deputy Assistant Attorney General Cruden made amply clear in his testimony, such authority has existing in our environmental laws for decades. Mr. Snare was also the Solicitor of Labor 

at the time that both the Department of Labor and the Justice Department were 

engaging in successful prosecutions of employers who violated these laws, and the 

Departments were seeking such punishments. 

Have these prosecutions led to ‘‘witch hunts’’? If so, who are the victims? Where 

are the corporate executives who were unfairly charged, mercilessly abused in the 

courtroom, and ultimately vindicated or jailed? Neither Mr. Snare, nor the Chamber 

of Commerce, has offered any such examples. Nor do we believe that they can. 

Either Mr. Snare or the Chamber of Commerce will have to explain why they 

have engaged in such inflammatory rhetoric to attack a modest proposal which simply seeks to equalize the government’s authority across various similar laws. 

We believe that such testimony is inappropriate for a legislative hearing where 

the Committee is attempting to seriously examine the proposed legislation, and find 

solutions to the problems that confront ethical, responsible employers when irresponsible employers can flout the law. 

In addition to higher penalties, what other provisions of PAWA support increased 

deterrence? 

We believe that the new procedures and authority to protect whistleblowers, 

under Title II, will help OSHA and workers to work together to better identify otherwise recidivist employers and compel them to correct violations before the most 

severe sanctions become necessary. OSHA has known for years that when informed 

workers file knowledgeable complaints about serious hazards and violations, OSHA 

can do its job much more easily. Unfortunately, the current law provides little effective protection for workers who complain to their own employers, or whose complaints to OSHA become know to employers. Employers can easily identify such 

workers when the workers actively participate in workplace committees or otherwise 

discuss such problems with other employees, not to mention any active participation 

in an inspection. 

We also believe that the provisions of Section 308, requiring abatement of violations during employer appeals, will help discourage employers from needlessly challenging violations when they are primarily interested in resolving disputes about 

penalties. Early action on hazards will thereby resolve these hazards quickly, eliminating a potential source of future violations. 

Finally, we believe that the provisions allowing both employees and victims’ families to more actively participate in the appeals process will help discourage inappropriate settlements that reduce penalties to levels which no longer serve a deterrent 

function. 

What other provisions should be included in PAWA to deter violations at multisite employers? 

One of the serious gaps in the OSHAct is OSHA’s inability to determine quickly 

and conveniently whether or not the same violations are occurring at other sites 

within the same company. As the Subcommittee has already seen at the Cintas 

Corp., as well as at McWane, BP and other large employers, large companies with 

active corporate functions can create the same hazards in multiple locations. They 

can likewise assure that these multi-site violations can be fixed, too. 

However, there is no obligation on these large employers to determine whether 

or not the violations exist elsewhere. As a result, what appears to be a ‘‘routine’’ 

violation may already exist in many places and it is only the occurrence of a preventable fatality or serious injury which brings this pattern to light. This is largely 

the basis of the EEP program—soon to be called the Severe Violators Enforcement 

Program. 

Mr. Hare’s legislation (HR 2113) would create an important expansion of the current reporting requirements for such large employers, requiring them to report the 

injury rates and cited violations at multiple locations. That is a good beginning. 
163 

However, it still does not require employers to fix uncited violations in multiple locations, even if the employer is well aware of those violations. 

It should not require OSHA inspectors to continually visit multiple sites before 

a large, sophisticated, wealthy corporation finally takes action to fix known violations. The Committee should consider other requirements, such as a ‘‘find and fix’’ 

requirement: when a multi-site employer commits the kinds of violations that OSHA 

itself uses as a criteria for urgent further investigation. These could be severely dangerous hazards that have emerged in individual OSHA inspections, as well as hazards that are already well known throughout an industry (such as those identified 

in OSHA’s National Emphasis Programs). 

Were the Committee to adopt such a proactive approach, then responsible employers would no longer face the costs arising from their own commitment to comprehensive compliance actions, while their irresponsible competitors simply ignore their 

violations and await the rare visit from an inspector. We believe that a combination 

of improved corporate-wide reporting, as well as a corporate-wide ‘‘find and fix’’ obligation, would both encourage much greater voluntary compliance as well as lay the 

foundation for the severe sorts of penalties that PAWA would finally authorize. 

Such a combination would constitute, for the first time, a true deterrent function 

that would help protect millions of workers in hazardous jobs and industries, while 

adding only marginally to OSHA’s own investigative burdens. 

Thank you again for providing me with the opportunity to testify. 

Sincerely, 

ERIC FRUMIN, HEALTH AND SAFETY COORDINATOR, 

Change to Win. 

[VIA FACSIMILE AND EMAIL], 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

Washington, DC, March 19, 2010. 

Hon. DAVID MICHAELS, Assistant Secretary of Labor, 

Occupation Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20510. 

DEAR ASSISTANT SECRETARY MICHAELS: Thank you for testifying before the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections at the hearing on, ‘‘Protecting America’s Workers Act: Modernizing OSHA Penalties’’ held on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. 

Committee Members had additional questions for which they would like written 

responses from you for the hearing record. 

Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) asks the following questions: 

1. Do you believe that Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHAct) penalties 

should be allowed to be eroded through inflation? 

2. Your testimony supports provisions that would expand the rights of workers 

and their representatives to contest OSHA citations and modifications. In which 

states are these rights already provided in an OSHA state plan? Please explain why 

expanding contest rights under Section 10(c) of the OSHAct for workers is important? 

3. Mr. Snare’s testimony on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce states that the 

victim’s rights provisions in the Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA) which 

allow families to discuss investigations with the Secretary of Labor, express views 

on settlements, and present their views to Administrative Law Judges will provide 

little value ‘‘other than to sensationalize presumably already emotional and sensitive matters.’’ 

a. Do you agree with the views of the Chamber of Commerce in this matter? 

b. Are there benefits to OSHA from having families of victims involved with the 

investigation, or in the settlement or adjudicative processes? What are these benefits? 

c. Should there be limits on victim’s families in providing information to investigators, or involving victim’s families in the settlement or adjudicative process? If so, 

what should those limits be? 

d. Does OSHA have any data on the extent to which OSHA complies with its existing Field Operations Manual on interviewing family members and maintaining 

contact through the investigation? 

e. Would OSHA support Congress establishing a legal right for victim’s families 

to participate in proceedings before the OSHA Review Commission, and to provide 

information from the case file to the family so they can meaningfully participate? 

4. Mr. Snare’s testimony on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce says that ‘‘Enforcement and penalties do not prevent workplace fatalities and injuries; they are 

imposed after fatalities and injuries have occurred.’’ Isn’t it the case that OSHA also 
164 

levies penalties following complaint inspections and programmed inspections, and 

that these actions help prevent accidents? What percentage of OSHA’s penalties are 

assessed after fatalities and injuries have occurred? What percent follow programmed inspections or complaints? Please provide percentages for the past two 

years. 

5. In amending the criminal provisions to the OSHAct, does DOL support changing the current mens rea standard from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing’’? 

6. Currently Section 17(a) of the OSHAct provides for a minimum penalty for 

‘‘willful’’ violations. Does OSHA support a minimum civil penalty for a ‘‘serious’’ violation or ‘‘other than serious’’? If so, at what dollar level? If not, please explain why. 

7. Robert Fitch was killed at the Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) plant in Lincoln, 

Nebraska in January 2009. OSHA issued 2 citations and proposed penalties of 

$10,000 related to violations of the standard governing manlifts (29 CFR 1910.68). 

These two citations were deleted as part of an informal settlement agreement which 

also zeroed out the penalties. 

a. Were there recognized falling hazards pertaining to the manlifts at the ADM 

facility? 

b. Was abatement of the hazard feasible? If so, what were the feasible hazard 

abatement methods? 

c. Did OSHA investigate whether there was history at this facility where employees had fallen off the same or similar type of manlifts and been hurt or killed? If 

not, why didn’t OSHA make this inquiry? 

d. Would OSHA compliance directives have allowed OSHA to use the general duty 

clause under Section 5(a)(1) of the Act to cite the employer for falling hazards leading to the death of this worker? If so, why wasn’t it used? 

e. Was a $10,000 penalty the maximum penalty available to OSHA for a fatality? 

Is this sufficient to deter future non compliance? 

f. Was the deletion of these two citations justified on the grounds that 29 CFR 

1910.68 grandfathered this belt driven manlift? What specific provisions in this 

standard grandfathered equipment that lacked fall protection and non-slip surfaces? 

g. Was there a sound legal basis for deleting these two citations totaling $10,000 

in an informal settlement? If so, what was the legal basis? 

h. Is it the case that the family learned about the settlement from the news 

media? Is this consistent with OSHA policy? 

8. OSHA has launched a National Emphasis Program (NEP) on underreporting 

of injuries and illnesses. How many inspections have been initiated as of March 22, 

2010, and of those inspections, please provide statistics on the number of violations 

by NAICS code? 

9. Would OSHA’s ability to protect worker safety in cases where there was an imminent danger be facilitated if OSHA had the ability to issue imminent danger 

shutdown orders without having to first secure an injunction from a federal court 

judge? 

10. How many imminent danger orders were secured each year between the beginning of FY 2005 and the end of FY 2009 under the OSHAct? Please provide a 

timeline for each imminent danger proceeding, showing the date and time of inspection, the date and time of recognition of the imminency of the danger, the date and 

time when DOL first sought an order, and the date and time when the Court order 

was delivered to the employer. 

11. The PAWA discussion draft of March 9, 2010, makes ‘‘any officer and director’’ 

liable under the criminal provisions of the OSHAct, in addition to employers as defined under Section 3 of the OSHAct. Does OSHA support criminal liability for ‘‘any 

officer or director’’? 

12. Mr. Frumin testified that where employers use contract labor for especially 

hazardous tasks, the potential sanctions are non-existent for the corporations and 

executives who own or control the workplace. In your view, how should this multi 

employer liability problem be corrected? Does it require a legislative change? 

13. The March 9, 2010 discussion draft allows employers to seek a temporary stay 

of the abatement order. In issuing a stay, the OSHA Review Commission must consider whether the employer had demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success on 

its contest to the citation, whether the employer will suffer irreparable harm absent 

a stay, and whether a stay will adversely affect the health and safety of the workers. Mr. Snare’s testimony on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce states that requiring abatement of serious violations pending contest of a citation case is ‘‘unjustified’’ and ‘‘an outrageous trampling of due process rights.’’ 

a. Does OSHA agree with Mr. Snare that the requirement for abatement pending 

contest of serious violations coupled with the due process rights set forth in the discussion draft represents an ‘‘outrageous trampling of due process rights?’’ 
165 

b. Are the due process rights for employers who object to an abatement order for 

a serious violation under PAWA comparable to the due process rights for mine operators who object to an abatement order in the Mine Act? 

c. Does Oregon OSHA require abatement of serious violations pending contest? 

Has the adoption of the requirement for abatement of serious hazards pending contest been challenged on due process grounds? If so, has it been overturned by the 

Courts in that state? 

Please send an electronic version of your written response to the questions in 

Microsoft Word format to Lynn Dondis and Richard Miller of the Committee staff 

at lynn.dondis@mail.house.gov and richard.miller@mail.house.gov by close of business Tuesday, March 30, 2010, the date on which the hearing record will close. If 

you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Dondis or Mr. Miller 

at 202-225-3275. 

Sincerely, 

GEORGE MILLER, Chairman. 

OSHA Responses to Additional Questions for the Hearing Record 

Question 1: Do you believe that Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) 

penalties should be allowed to be eroded through inflation? 

Answer: No. Monetary penalties for violations of the OSH Act have been increased 

only once in 40 years despite disproportionately greater inflation during that period. 

OSHA’s current civil penalties are not large enough to provide adequate deterrents 

to unscrupulous employers that often consider it more cost effective to pay the minimal OSHA penalty and continue to operate an unsafe workplace than to correct the 

underlying health and safety problem. Serious violations—those that pose a substantial probability of death or serious physical harm to workers—are subject to a 

maximum civil penalty of only $7,000. Willful and repeated violations carry a maximum penalty of only $70,000 and willful violations a minimum of $5,000. Currently, the average OSHA penalty is only around $1,000. The median initial 

penalty proposed for all investigations conducted in FY 2007 in cases where a worker was killed was only $5,900. Clearly, OSHA can never put a price on a worker’s 

life, nor is that the purpose of penalties—even in fatality cases. However, in cases 

where a life is needlessly lost, OSHA must be empowered to send a message stronger than that which a $5,900 penalty sends. 

This is apparent when compared to penalties that other agencies are allowed to 

assess. For example, the Department of Agriculture is authorized to impose fines 

of up to $140,000 on milk processors for willful violations of the Fluid Milk Promotion Act, which include refusal to pay fees and assessments to help advertise and 

research fluid milk products. The Federal Communications Commission can fine a 

TV or radio station up to $325,000 for indecent content. The Environmental Protection Agency can impose a penalty of $270,000 for violations of the Clean Air Act 

and a penalty of $1 million for attempting to tamper with a public water system. 

Yet, the maximum civil penalty OSHA may impose when a hard-working man or 

woman is killed on the job—even when the death is caused by a willful violation 

of an OSHA requirement—is $70,000. 

PAWA makes much needed increases in both civil and criminal penalties for every 

type of violation of the OSH Act and would increase penalties for willful or repeat 

violations that involve a fatality to as much as $250,000. These increases are not 

inappropriately large. In fact, for most violations, they raise penalties only to the 

level where they will have the same value, accounting for inflation, as they had in 

1990. 

In order to ensure that the effect of the newly increased penalties does not degrade in the same way, PAWA also provides for inflation adjustments for civil penalties based on increases or decreases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The legislation would be made even stronger if the adjustments occurred automatically. Unlike most other Federal enforcement agencies, the OSH Act has been exempt from 

the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act, so there have not even been 

increases in OSHA penalties for inflation, which has reduced the real dollar value 

of OSHA penalties by about 39 percent. PAWA’s penalty increases are necessary to 

create at least the same deterrent that Congress originally intended when it passed 

the OSH Act almost 40 years ago. Simply put, OSHA penalties must be increased 

to provide a real disincentive for employers not to accept injuries and worker deaths 

as a cost of doing business. 

Question 2: Your testimony supports provisions that would expand the rights of 

workers and their representatives to contest OSHA citations and modifications. In 

which states are these rights already provided in an OSHA state plan? Please ex-
166 

plain why expanding contest rights under Section 10(c) of the OSH Act for workers 

is important? 

Answer: Seven of the 27 States that operate OSHA-approved State Plans have 

statutory provisions that give employees expanded contest rights. In Kentucky, Minnesota, South Carolina, and Tennessee, in addition to contesting the period set for 

abatement, employees may also contest the citations and penalties. In Michigan, 

which has a two-step contest process, employees initially may contest only the 

abatement period, but may appeal the agency’s proposed decision on the abatement 

period, classification of violation classifications and penalties to the Appeals Board. 

In New York and New Jersey, whose approved State Plans are limited to State and 

local government employees only, employees may contest the abatement period, citation and penalty. 

In discussions with those State Plans which already offer these rights, we understand that employees rarely exercise these additional rights, but that when they do, 

it does not negatively impact the contest process. 

Question 3: Mr. Snare’s testimony on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce states 

that the victim’s rights provisions in the Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA), 

which allows families to discuss investigations with the Secretary of Labor, express 

views on settlements, and present their views to Administrative Law Judges, will 

provide little value ‘‘other than to sensationalize presumably already emotional and 

sensitive matters.’’ 

a. Do you agree with the views of the Chamber of Commerce in this matter? 

b. Are there benefits to OSHA from having families of victims involved with the 

investigation, or in the settlement or adjudicative process? What are these benefits? 

c. Should there be limits on victim’s families in providing information to investigators or involving victim’s families in the settlement or adjudicative process? If so, 

what should those limits be? 

d. Does OSHA have any data on the extent to which OSHA complies with its 

Field Operations Manual on interviewing family members and maintaining contact 

through the investigation? 

e. Would OSHA support Congress in establishing a legal right for victim’s families 

to participate in proceedings before the OSHA Review Commission, and to provide 

information from the case file to the family so they can meaningfully participate? 

Answer: 

a. No, OSHA does not agree with the views of the Chamber of Commerce on this 

matter. Family members and co-workers are sincerely interested in learning how 

the incident occurred, finding out if anything could have been done to prevent it, 

and knowing what steps the employers and employees will take in the future to ensure that someone else is not similarly injured or killed. Moreover, accident victims 

and those close to them can often provide useful information to investigators. Family members’ interest aids in advancing safety and health in the workplace while 

providing closure for family. In contrast, when an affected party, such as a family 

member, is left out of the investigation and the settlement process is not transparent, family members often are traumatized. This lack of information and transparency often makes family members unhappy and discontented. OSHA Directives 

establishing procedures for fatality investigations provide that victims and their 

families should be informed about citation procedures and about settlements, and 

require investigators to talk with families during the investigation process. PAWA 

would ensure this policy is strengthened and made permanent, as well as increase 

the ability of victims and family members to more actively participate in the process. No one is affected more by a workplace tragedy than workers and their families, 

so we fully recognize and appreciate their desire to be more involved in the remedial 

process. 

b. Yes, having family members involved in the investigation does have benefits. 

Involving family members can help the inspector and the Agency better understand 

the work activity performed by the deceased. Employees frequently discuss work activities and co-workers with family members during non-work hours. After a fatality 

has occurred, speaking with family members sometimes reveals concerns related to 

the incident that the worker mentioned at home (such as the failure of the employer 

to provide the right equipment or equipment being in a state of disrepair). Family 

members may also be able to provide the names of coworkers with whom the victim 

frequently worked, which in turn may allow for a better understanding of how a 

work activity or task is normally performed. After an accident, coworkers may also 

share information with a victim’s family that they might not share with an OSHA 

inspector or the employer. These examples demonstrate why it is important to involve family members in the investigation process. 
167 

c. We see no reason to limit the ability of families to provide information to OSHA 

during an investigation; however, some clarification might be useful in regard to the 

procedures for participation in settlement discussions and adjudicative proceedings. 

d. OSHA does not specifically track data associated with interviewing family 

members and maintaining contact during the investigation; however, several additional measures are taken to ensure field staff comply with procedures found in the 

Field Operations Manual (FOM) and OSHA’s fatality investigation procedures. For 

example, many area offices designate a fatality liaison that is responsible for reviewing fatality-related actions and inspection information prior to notifying the Regional and National office. Further, area offices often develop fatality/catastrophe 

checklists to ensure all required steps are taken during the course of an investigation. Compliance staff also utilize the case file diary sheet to note key activities 

throughout the course of an investigation, which may include meetings, interviews, 

and phone calls with family members. Upon completion of a fatality investigation 

by a compliance officer, the team leader and area leader thoroughly review the file. 

Finally, in furtherance of accountability, OSHA, through its Regional offices, conducts periodic audits of area offices to review key program areas and a representative number of inspection files for compliance with OSHA policy and procedures. A 

number of fatality investigations would be included as part of the area office audit. 

e. No one is affected more by a workplace tragedy than workers and their families, so we fully recognize and appreciate their desire to be more involved in the remedial process. OSHA supports the PAWA provisions that would enable workers 

and families to provide information to OSHA during an investigation; however, it 

is not appropriate for OSHA to comment on the OSHA Review Commission’s proceedings. 

Question 4: Mr. Snare’s testimony on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce says 

that ‘‘Enforcement and penalties do not prevent workplace fatalities and injuries: 

they are imposed after fatalities and injuries have occurred.’’ Isn’t it the case that 

OSHA also levies penalties following complaint inspections and programmed inspections, and that these actions help prevent accidents? What percentage of OSHA’s 

penalties are assessed after fatalities and injuries have occurred? What percent follow programmed inspections or complaints? Please provide percentages for the past 

two years. 

Answer: Yes, OSHA does levy penalties following complaint inspections and programmed inspections. In fact, OSHA can levy penalties as the result of any inspection, regardless of what prompted it. The Agency believes that the issuance of citations, and the required abatement of hazards and associated penalties, does prevent 

accidents. In fiscal year 2009, OSHA issued almost $92 million in penalties. Approximately eight percent of those penalties were assessed as the result of fatality/ 

catastrophe investigation. Approximately 71 percent followed programmed inspections or complaint inspections. Please see detailed information for the previous two 

fiscal years provided in the table below. 

FY 2008 AND FY 2009 FEDERAL OSHA CURRENT* PENALTY DATA 

Data criteria FY 2008 FY 2009 

Total Current Penalties ................................................................................................................ $92,710,026 $91,828,697 

Total Current Penalties for Fatality/Catastrophe Inspections ..................................................... $12,919,213 $7,730,912 

(Percent of Total Current Penalties) .................................................................................. (14%) (8%) 

Total Current Penalties for Programmed Inspections ................................................................. $42,388,847 $46,419,204 

(Percent of Total Current Penalties) .................................................................................. (46%) (51%) 

Total Current Penalties for Complaint Inspections ..................................................................... $16,330,975 $18,685,114 

(Percent of Total Current Penalties) .................................................................................. (18%) (20%) 

Data source: IMIS INSP6 Reports dated 3/23/2010. 

*Current penalty—reflects penalty figures from open and closed inspections. 

Question 5: In amending the criminal provisions to the OSHA Act, does OSHA 

support changing the current mens rea standard from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing’’? 

Answer: Yes, most federal statutes, including most environmental statutes, contain a ‘‘knowing’’ mens rea standard rather than a ‘‘willful’’ standard. 

DOL supports the efforts to amend the criminal provisions of the OSH Act by 

changing the mens rea standard from ‘‘willful’’ to ‘‘knowing.’’ Doing so would bring 

those provisions into the mainstream of federal criminal laws. 
168 

Congress has consistently used the ‘‘knowing’’ standard in criminal provisions in 

public welfare statutes and in other contexts where, as in the workplace, activities 

are highly regulated. It is reasonable to assume that anyone involved in such areas 

is aware of that high degree of regulation. Indeed, in such contexts, courts have recognized a presumption of knowledge of the law. Cf. United States v. Int’l Minerals 

& Chem. Corp., 402 U.S. 558 (1971) (explaining that when dangerous or harmful 

devices or products, or obnoxious waste materials, are involved, ‘‘the probability of 

regulation is so great that anyone who is aware that he is in possession of them 

or dealing with them must be presumed to be aware of the regulation’’). The justification for this presumption has been described as follows: ‘‘[t]o admit the excuse 

at all would be to encourage ignorance where the lawmaker has determined to make 

men know and obey.’’ Holmes, The Common Law (Howe ed. 1963). Use of the knowing standard in OSHA’s criminal penalty provision would be consistent with this rationale, as employers can hardly be surprised to learn of the existence of standards, 

rules, and orders pertaining to workplace safety, and the knowing standard places 

an appropriate and fair burden on them to ‘‘know and obey’’ these standards, rules, 

and orders. 

Question 6: Currently Section 17(a) of the OSH Act provides for a minimum penalty for ‘‘willful’’ violations. Does OSHA support a minimum civil penalty for a ‘‘serious’’ violation or ‘‘other than serious’’? If so, at what dollar level? If not, please explain why? 

Answer: It is important to note that OSHA has administratively set minimum 

penalties for serious violations. The current minimum penalty for a serious violation 

is $100; when the proposed penalty would amount to less than $100, a $100 penalty 

is still proposed. Under the proposed administrative changes to OSHA’s penalty 

policies, the minimum penalty will increase to $500. The Agency supports any penalty policy that provides an adequate deterrent effect. While discussion of statutorily 

establishing a minimum penalty amount for serious and other-than-serious has not 

occurred, OSHA is in the early stages of considering whether violations directly related to fatalities should have increased penalty amounts. 

Question 7: Robert Fitch was killed at the Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) plant 

in Lincoln, Nebraska in January 2009. OSHA issued 2 citations and proposed penalties of $10,000 related to violations of the standard governing manlifts (29 CFR 

1910.68). These two citations were deleted as part of an informal settlement agreement which also zeroed out the penalties. 

a. Were there recognized falling hazards pertaining to the manlifts at the ADM 

facility? 

b. Was abatement of the hazard feasible? If so, what were the feasible hazard 

abatement methods? 

c. Did OSHA investigate whether there was history at this facility where employees had fallen off the same or similar type of manlifts and been hurt or killed? If 

not, why didn’t OSHA make this inquiry? 

d. Would OSHA compliance directives have allowed OSHA to use the general duty 

clause under Section 5(a)(1) of the act to cite the employer for falling hazards leading to the death of this worker? If so, why wasn’t it used? 

e. Was a $10,000 penalty the maximum penalty available to OSHA for a fatality? 

Is this sufficient to deter future non compliance? 

f. Was the deletion of these two citations justified on the grounds that 29 CFR 

1910.68 grandfathered this belt driven manlift? What specific provisions in this 

standard grandfathered equipment that lacked fall protection and non-slip surfaces? 

g. Was there a sound legal basis for deleting these two citations totaling $10,000 

in an informal settlement? If so, what was the legal basis? 

h. Is it the case that the family learned about the settlement from the news 

media? Is this consistent with OSHA policy? 

Answer: 

a. Yes, falls from and around manlifts are recognized hazards. 

b. Continuous belt manlifts, such as the one involved in this incident, are dangerous pieces of equipment. The hazard could have been, and eventually was, 

abated by the installation of personnel lifts (elevators) to replace the manlifts. 

c. Yes, an establishment search of the company was conducted via the OSHA 

website during the inspection. There was no information obtained from this search, 

or during the inspection, about any injuries or fatalities associated with the manlift. 

OSHA also conducted management and employee interviews and did not learn of 

any previous incidents. 

d. Continuous belt manlifts present a unique challenge to OSHA; as previously 

stated, they are dangerous pieces of equipment. The OSHA compliance directive on 
169 

manlifts provides that a General Duty Clause violation may be issued where the 

hazardous condition is easily identifiable. In this case, no such condition was found. 

e. OSHA penalties are determined based on the number of violations, as well as 

the gravity of the violation. A violation that results in a fatality incurs the maximum penalty permitted based on the hazards being cited. In some cases, this may 

not be sufficient to deter employers from violating the standards. 

f. The deletion of the two citations was not based on grandfathered provisions for 

belt driven manlifts. In the negotiated settlement agreement, ADM agreed to install 

a manufactured personnel elevator in exchange for deleting both citations. The installation of a personnel elevator was far more protective than repair of the existing 

manlift. 

g. OSHA’s Field Operations Manual grants an Area Director the authority to conduct informal conferences and make appropriate changes to citations. Specifically, 

Area Directors may amend abatement dates, reclassify violations (for example, willful to serious, serious to other-than-serious), and modify or withdraw a penalty, citation, or citation item, where evidence presented during the informal conference establishes that the changes are justified. 

An informal conference was conducted in this case and the decision was made to 

delete the citations in exchange for the employer installing a personnel elevator. 

The settlement with ADM vastly improved the safety of its employees. The legal 

basis for grandfathering certain manlifts was not considered because the informal 

settlement was reached. However, that issue is currently being reviewed for use as 

guidance in future cases. 

h. OSHA’s Field Operations Manual discusses notifying individual(s) listed as 

emergency contact in the victim’s employment records (if available), and/or the otherwise determined next-of-kin. The Agency’s policy is to send the next-of-kin an inspection information letter, normally within five working days of determining the 

victim’s identity and verifying the proper address to send communication. 

In this case, the victim’s employment record identified his son and daughter as 

next-of-kin, and both individuals were notified by letter of the inspection and citation information in accordance with OSHA policy. It is my understanding that the 

victim’s niece, who was not designated next-of-kin and did not receive the inspection 

and citation information, learned of the OSHA settlement agreement from the news 

media. The Omaha Area Office’s first contact with the victim’s niece was on January 

14, 2010, when she requested information. She certainly would have been provided 

with the citation information in March 2009 if she had requested it at that time, 

or was designated as next-of-kin in the victim’s emergency contact information. 

OSHA has decided that informing the next-of-kin of citations or settlements by 

letter is not adequate and the Agency is in the process of formally changing its procedures so that families are notified by personal meeting or phone call. 

Question 8: OSHA has launched a National Emphasis Program (NEP) on underreporting of injuries and illnesses. How many inspections have been initiated as of 

March 22, 2010, and of those inspections, please provide statistics on the number 

of violations by NAICS code? 

Answer: As of March 22, 2010, 63 recordkeeping NEP inspections have been initiated. The majority of these inspections are still open, but thus far, five involve recordkeeping citations (part 1904). 

Question 9: Would OSHA’s ability to protect worker safety in cases where there 

was an imminent danger be facilitated if OSHA had the ability to issue imminent 

danger shutdown orders without having to first secure an injunction from a federal 

court judge? 

Answer: OSHA’s ability to protect worker safety in cases where there is an imminent danger would be enhanced if it had the ability to issue imminent danger shutdown orders without first having to secure an injunction from a federal court judge. 

When a Compliance Safety and Health Officer identifies an imminent danger and 

the employer will not voluntarily eliminate it, the CSHO immediately consults with 

the Area Director and obtains permission to post a Notice of Alleged Imminent Danger. The Area Director then contacts the Regional Administrator and determines 

whether to consult with the Regional Solicitor’s Office to obtain a temporary restraining order. The Regional Solicitor’s Office assesses the situation and, if warranted, will make arrangements for the expedited initiation of court action. However, imminent danger situations are often reported in locations that require considerable travel time for the Agency to reach. In such cases, it would be advantageous 

for the Agency to have the authority to call the employer in question and order that 

work be stopped until an investigator arrives on the scene. 

Question 10: How many imminent danger orders were secured each year between 

the beginning of FY 2005 and the end of FY 2009 under the OSH Act? Please pro-
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vide a timeline for each imminent danger proceeding, showing the date and time 

of inspection, the date and time of recognition of the imminency of the danger, the 

date and time when DOL first sought an order, and the date and time when the 

Court order was delivered to the employer. 

Answer: During this time period, there were no judicial imminent danger orders 

secured by federal OSHA. 

Question 11: The PAWA discussion draft of March 9, 2010, makes ‘‘any officer and 

director’’ liable under the criminal provisions of the OSH Act, in addition to employers as defined under Section 3 of the OSH Act. Does OSHA support criminal liability for ‘‘any officer or director’’? 

Answer: This proposed amendment would bring OSH Act criminal provisions more 

in line with those of certain Federal environmental statutes, which include ‘‘responsible corporate officer’’ in their definitions of persons to whom the statutes apply. 

The case law under those statutes indicates that this statutory term will strengthen 

the criminal liability provisions of the Act, and accordingly OSHA supports the 

amendment. 

Question 12: Mr. Frumin testified that where employers use contract labor for especially hazardous tasks, the potential sanctions are non-existent for the corporations and executives who own or control the workplaces. In your view, how should 

this multi employer liability problem be corrected? Does it require a legislative 

change? 

Answer: OSHA does not agree that corporations and their executives may escape 

liability under the Act by using contract labor to perform hazardous tasks. Corporate owners may be found liable for hazards to contract workers in several circumstances. First, the nature of the relationship between the corporation and the 

hired workers may be such that the corporation is the employer for purposes of the 

Act. The test for determining an employment relationship looks to the hiring party’s 

actual control over the performance of the work and the working conditions; labels 

such as ‘‘independent contractor’’ are not controlling. Second, in multi-employer 

worksites in all industry sectors, an employer that creates or controls a hazardous 

condition may be cited even if the only employees exposed to the hazard are those 

of another contactor. This means that a corporation may be liable if it has general 

supervisory authority over the worksite, including the power to correct safety and 

health violations by others, and fails to exercise reasonable care to detect and prevent violations on the site. Finally OSHA standards may impose duties on the corporate owner with respect to hazards affecting contract workers on the site. For example, the construction asbestos standard requires building or facility owners to determine the presence, location and quantity of asbestos containing material at the 

worksite and notify prospective employers bidding for work whose employees can 

reasonably be expected to work near such material. OSHA does not believe that a 

legislative change is required at this time. 

Question 13: The March 9, 2010 discussion draft allows employers to seek a temporary stay of the abatement order. In issuing a stay, the OSHA Review Commission must consider whether the employer had demonstrated a substantial likelihood 

of success on its contest to the citation, whether the employer will suffer irreparable 

harm absent a stay, and whether a stay will adversely affect the health and safety 

of workers. Mr. Snare’s testimony on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce states 

that requiring abatement of serious violations pending contest of a citation case is 

‘‘unjustified’’ and ‘‘an outrageous trampling of due process rights.’’ 

a. Does OSHA agree with Mr. Snare that the requirement for abatement pending 

contest of serious violations coupled with the due process rights set forth in the discussion draft presents an ‘‘outrageous trampling of due process rights?’’ 

b. Are the due process rights for employers who object to an abatement order for 

a serious violation under PAWA comparable to the due process rights for mine operators who object to an abatement order in the Mine Act? 

c. Does Oregon OSHA require abatement of serious violations pending contest? 

Has the adoption of the requirement for abatement of serious hazards pending contest been challenged on due process grounds? If so, has it been overturned by the 

Courts in that state? 

Answer: 

a. Under the proposed provisions in the PAWA, the applicant must satisfy the traditional criteria for seeking a stay; these stay criteria are similar to those that apply 

under a wide variety of state and federal laws. In addition, PAWA calls for the Commission to develop expedited procedures for processing such applications. Thus, the 

PAWA provisions fall well short of being ‘‘an outrageous trampling of due process 

rights.’’ 
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Under the present OSH Act, abatement ordinarily is stayed while the case is 

within the jurisdiction of the Commission, but after a petition for judicial review has 

been filed, an employer must request a stay from the court of appeals under 29 USC 

660(a). The burden placed on the employer to obtain a stay pending judicial review 

in the court of appeals is not severe. It is OSHA’s experience that employers rarely 

seek such a stay when appealing a Commission order. 

b. Yes, the proposed provisions of PAWA appear similar to the comparable provisions of the Mine Safety and Health Act, at Sections 106(a)(2) and 106(a)(3). 

c. Yes. Oregon’s occupational safety and health statute (at ORS 654.078) delays 

abatement pending contest for nonserious violations but requires abatement during 

contest for serious violations. 

Although attorneys have objected, in State legislative hearings, to the required 

abatement of serious violations during contest provision on due process grounds, attempts to repeal this provision in the Oregon legislature have been unsuccessful. 

There have been no Court challenges of this provision. 

[Whereupon, at 11:40 a.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.] 

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