Dick Durbin: “today I rise, on behalf of myself, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Obama, and Mr. Kennedy, to support a bipartisan resolution calling…”

“today I rise, on behalf of myself, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Obama, and Mr. Kennedy, to support a bipartisan resolution calling on the American people to observe North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, May 1 through May 7, 2005. This week is designed to increase the awareness and importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace. I introduced a similar resolution in May 2002, and I am proud to sponsor it again. The focus of this year's North American Occupational Safety and Health Week is on the estimated 5,500 people killed in workplace accidents and the millions who suffer on-the-job injuries and illnesses each year. The week will focus on preventing such tragedies from occurring and draw attention to the positive return on investment for businesses that invest in occupational safety and health. The Department of Labor recently gave the Monsanto research facility in Waterman, IL, its top safety classification: Star Certification in the Voluntary Protection Program. VPP is a program that goes beyond current workplace regulations to establish cooperative relationships between management and workers to implement a comprehensive health and safety system. It requires rigorous review by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and involves companies with injury rates which average about 53 percent lower than the average for their industry.…”