Protecting Workers on the Job–Priorities for Federal Action in 2009

The National COSH and the Occupational Safety and Health section of the American Public Health Association have developed an agenda for federal action in 2009 to protect workers’ health and safety. The key points of the platform include:

• Put worker health and safety first by making the Protecting Workers on the Job agenda a top priority of the President and Congress.
• Ensure health and safety protection of all workers through tough enforcement of existing regulations, new worker protections, and research.
• Count all occupational injuries and illnesses and increase funding for Federal and State-based public health tracking programs.
• Increase worker participation in workplace safety and health programs and protect workers from retaliation.
• Eliminate disparities in the high rates of deaths, injuries and illnesses among all workers.
• Reform workers’ compensation programs to ensure appropriate and equitable remedies for the costs of occupational injuries and illnesses for all workers.
• Reduce or eliminate widespread use of toxic chemicals to protect workers on the job and to safeguard the communities in which we all work and live.

The platform has been endorsed by over 100 organizations representing a wide range of constituencies including unions, environmental groups, community, and immigrant organizations. To see a full list of endorsers, click here.

Download the full platform here. Download the Spanish version here.