Reps. Miller, Courtney Applaud DOL’s Proposed Rule to Protect Health, Safety of American Workers
WASHINGTON – Reps. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee, and Joe Courtney (D-Conn.), the senior Democrat on the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, issued the following statements today regarding the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule to strengthen workplace safety protections regarding exposure to Silica.
“I commend Labor Secretary Tom Perez and OSHA Director Dr. David Michaels for proposing powerful new protections to reduce lung cancer, silicosis, and related lung diseases in the workplace,” said Rep. Miller. “The existing rules for silicosis are decades old, and are in desperate need of updating. Silicosis is an especially pernicious disease faced by too many hard-working men and women on the job. The good news, however, is that with proper workplace safety precautions and practices contained in this rule, the occurrence of silicosis in the workplace can be significantly reduced.”
“I am pleased that the Department of Labor is moving forward with a proposed rule to protect American workers from silica-related diseases,” said Rep. Courtney. “This proposal will address the outdated standards currently in place and help protect our workers’ lungs and lives from the deadly effects of crystalline silica exposure.”
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