Lucas,
Explosions make the news.
Whenever tragedy strikes at an industrial facility — like an explosion at a chemical plant in Texas or on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico — and lives are lost, the media rushes in.
But the reality is that workers face the prospect of tragedy every single day, not just when it makes the news.
That's why we must tell the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to move forward with a better system for tracking worker injuries and illnesses on the job.
OSHA's proposed system is a no-brainer:
- It would require companies to submit electronic versions of safety records — which they keep anyway — to the agency.
- It would eliminate the 15-month lag between OSHA receiving information about safety problems and acting on it.
- It would make information about workplace hazards public, allowing government officials and public health advocates to identify and mitigate potential risks as they arise.
We can't be content to hold companies accountable only when there's a tragedy on TV. Keeping American workers safe should be a top priority each and every day.
Speak up for workers right now: Tell OSHA to modernize its record-keeping system.
More than 3 million people report being hurt on the job each year, with many more accidents likely going unreported. And more than 50,000 people lose their lives annually due to work-related illnesses and accidents.
The usual suspects, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have lined up to oppose this commonsense safeguard. But we must not let OSHA fold to industry pressure.
OSHA's No. 1 priority should be people's safety, not corporate profits.
Take action today to protect America's workers.
Thanks for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Kelly Ngo
Public Citizen's Online Action Team
action@citizen.org