In this task, you are given text for US Congressional and California state bills, your task is to generate a summary for this bill.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ''Models of Safety and Health
Excellence Act of 1999''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

(a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
(1) since 1982 the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration has conducted voluntary protection programs
designed to recognize excellence in occupational safety and
health;
(2) Such programs have fostered partnerships between
employers, employees and the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration to improve workplace safety and health through
the implementation of effective safety and health programs;
(3) employers participating in such programs provide their
employees with a level of protection that substantially exceeds
the level of protection provided by compliance with the
requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970;
and
(4) as a result of these efforts, employers participating
in such programs have experienced injury and illness rates that
are on average less than half of their respective industry
averages, sparing thousands of America's working families
needless workplace tragedies.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to--
(1) recognize the exemplary leadership of voluntary
protection programs participants in improving occupational
safety and health at workplaces;
(2) encourage other employers to adopt such approaches to
protect their workers; and
(3) to codify such programs to ensure that the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration continues to develop them in
the future.

SEC. 3. VOLUNTARY PROTECTION PROGRAMS.

(a) In General.--The Secretary of Labor or the Secretary's
authorized representative shall establish and carry out voluntary
protection programs (in this section referred to as ''programs'') to
promote and recognize the achievement of worksites that demonstrate
excellence in workplace health and safety. The Secretary may choose, in
limited situations, to alter the application requirements in order to
expand the scope of worksites participating in the programs to include
nonstandard worksites such as short term construction sites and mobile
worksites. The Secretary shall encourage the participants in the
programs to share occupational safety and health expertise with other
employers. The Secretary shall also encourage the participation of
small business (as that term is defined by the Administrator of the
Small Business Administration) in the programs by implementing outreach
and assistance initiatives in cooperation with program participants and
shall develop program requirements that address the needs of small
businesses. The Secretary may provide for the development of equivalent
programs in State plan States.
(b) Program Requirements.--A program shall include the following:
(1) Application.--Applications for participation in the
programs must be signed by the worksite's management and to
demonstrate sufficient employee support. Employers who
volunteer under the programs shall be required to submit an
application to the Secretary of Labor demonstrating that the
worksite, with respect to which the application is made, meets
such requirements as the Secretary may require for
participation in the program. Requirements for excellence shall
include demonstrations of exemplary comprehensive programs to
assure--
(A) top level management leadership and active and
meaningful employee involvement;
(B) systematic assessment of hazards;
(C) comprehensive hazard prevention, mitigation,
and control programs;
(D) employee safety and health training; and
(E) safety and health program evaluation.
(2) Onsite evaluations.--There shall be onsite evaluations
of each permanent worksite by representatives of the Secretary
and others from the private and public sector as determined by
the Secretary.
(3) Information.--Employers who are approved by the
Secretary for participation in a program shall assure the
Secretary that such information as is necessary to evaluate the
employer's application and continued participation in the
program is made available to the Secretary.
(4) Reevaluations.--Periodic reevaluations by the Secretary
shall be required for continued participation in a program.
(c) Program Administration.--
(1) Exemptions.--A worksite which has been selected to
participate in a program shall, while participating in the
program, be exempt from inspections or investigations under the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, except that the
exemption shall not apply to inspections or investigations
arising from employee complaints, fatalities, catastrophes, or
significant toxic releases.
(2) Program acceptance and continued participation.--
Decisions regarding acceptance into the program and continued
participation in the program will be based on the applicant's
superior safety and health performance, as determined by the
Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representatives.
(3) Program participation.--Decisions regarding
participation in a program are in the sole discretion of the
Secretary or an authorized representative of the Secretary.
Models of Safety and Health Excellence Act of 1999 - Directs the Secretary of Labor to establish and carry out voluntary protection programs to promote and recognize the achievement of worksites that demonstrate excellence in workplace health and safety.
Authorizes the Secretary, in limited situations, to alter program application requirements to include nonstandard worksites such as short-term construction sites and mobile worksites.
Directs the Secretary to encourage: (1) program participants to share occupational safety and health expertise with other employers; (2) the participation of small business in the programs, through outreach and assistance initiatives and program requirements that address the needs of small businesses.
Authorizes the Secretary to provide for development of equivalent programs in State-plan States (under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA)).
Sets forth program requirements for applications, on-site evaluations, information, and reevaluations.
Exempts worksites participating in the program from inspections or investigations under OSHA, except inspections or investigations arising from employee complaints, fatalities, catastrophes, or significant toxic releases.
Requires decisions regarding acceptance into, and continued participation in, the program to be based on the applicant's superior safety and health performance, as determined by, and in the sole discretion of, the Secretary or the Secretary's authorized representatives.