Title: Supporting the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day, honoring workers who have been killed or injured in the workplace, and recognizing the importance of strengthening worker health and safety protections.
Policy area: Labor and Employment

Summary:
Expresses support for the goals and ideals of Workers Memorial Day to honor and remember workers who have been killed or injured in the workplace. Recognizes the importance of strengthening worker health and safety standards.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 850 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 850

  Supporting the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day, honoring 
     workers who have been killed or injured in the workplace, and 
 recognizing the importance of strengthening worker health and safety 
                              protections.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 26, 2018

   Mr. Courtney (for himself, Mr. Takano, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Ms. 
 DeLauro, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. Sablan, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. Nolan, 
 Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Ms. Norton, Ms. Moore, Ms. 
Schakowsky, Ms. Shea-Porter, Mr. Norcross, Ms. Judy Chu of California, 
 Mr. Khanna, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Espaillat, and 
  Ms. Blunt Rochester) submitted the following resolution; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Supporting the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day, honoring 
     workers who have been killed or injured in the workplace, and 
 recognizing the importance of strengthening worker health and safety 
                              protections.

Whereas 5,190 workers were killed due to workplace-related injuries in the 
        United States in 2016, and each year more than 2,700,000 workers across 
        the world die of workplace-related accidents and diseases;
Whereas each day, an average of 14 workers are killed due to workplace injuries 
        in the United States;
Whereas there are more than 3,500,000 occupational injuries and illnesses in the 
        United States annually;
Whereas workers in the health care and social assistance industry suffered the 
        highest prevalence of nonfatal injuries in 2016 with 585,800 incidents, 
        and 70 percent of all nonfatal workplace assaults in 2016 occurred in 
        these two sectors;
Whereas tens of thousands of Americans with workplace injuries or illness become 
        permanently disabled;
Whereas the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the primary 
        Federal agency which establishes and enforces workplace health and 
        safety standards, only has sufficient resources to inspect each 
        establishment within its jurisdiction once every 159 years, and must be 
        fully resourced to adequately protect workers health and safety;
Whereas the current administration has blocked OSHA's efforts to adopt many 
        protections for workers, including those exposed to toxic chemicals, 
        infectious diseases, violence in health care and social service 
        settings, and the risk of industrial catastrophes caused by chemicals, 
        explosive gases, or combustible dusts;
Whereas the current administration has limited OSHA press releases on 
        enforcement actions that can raise employer awareness regarding hazards 
        and help act as a deterrent against safety violations by employers;
Whereas the current administration has removed the names of workers killed on 
        the job from its fatality reports, despite the requests of family 
        members to include their names to call attention to these preventable 
        deaths;
Whereas observing Workers' Memorial Day allows us to honor and remember victims 
        of workplace injuries and disease; and
Whereas observing Workers' Memorial Day reminds us to strive for better worker 
        safety and health protections: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of Workers' Memorial Day 
        to honor and remember workers who have been killed or injured 
        in the workplace;
            (2) recognizes the importance of strengthening worker 
        health and safety standards to secure the safe workplaces 
        workers deserve, including enforceable standards to prevent 
        violence in health care and social service settings;
            (3) encourages the Occupational Safety and Health 
        Administration, employers, community and worker organizations, 
        professional associations, and academic institutions to support 
        activities increasing awareness of the importance of preventing 
        illness, injury, and death in the workplace; and
            (4) calls upon the people of the United States to observe 
        such a day with appropriate ceremonies and respect.
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