USDOL focuses on safety of workers as oil cleanup activities ramp up in Gulf Coast region: OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels visits area to offer expertise, assistance (See 05/03/10 News Release)
The hazards that oil spill response and cleanup workers face will depend on the jobs they are doing, how the work is being done, and where the worksite is located. If you are involved in the actual cleanup, you must receive -- at the minimum -- four hours of training on both the hazards at the site as well as any hazards involved with the manner in which the cleanup is carried out. BP must provide this training.
Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels traveled to Louisiana on May 2nd with a team of experienced hazardous material professionals to lead the effort to ensure that the cleanup is done promptly, effectively and safely. OSHA has offered assistance to BP and its contractors in delivering all required training.
National summit addresses workplace safety issues for Latino workers
Registration and hotel information is now available for the National Action Summit for Latino Worker Health and Safety. The summit is sponsored by OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and in partnership with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Attendees at this event, scheduled for April 14-15, 2010, in Houston, will include workers and representatives from employer associations, labor unions, faith community, consulates and non-traditional partners. The summit's goal is to reduce injuries and illnesses among Latino workers by enhancing knowledge of their workplace rights and improving their ability to exercise those rights. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, said the summit will bring together stakeholders from diverse perspectives, shining a spotlight on the hazards and challenges faced by a significant vulnerable sector of our Nation's workforce. "It is my hope that we will begin to craft new strategies to prevent the thousands of injuries and deaths among Latino workers every year," said Michaels.