Herb Kohl: “I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all Americans who have died as a result of workplace hazards.…”

“I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all Americans who have died as a result of workplace hazards. April 28 commemorates the anniversary of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which remains committed to saving lives, preventing serious injuries, and preserving the health and safety of American workers. And yet, Mr. President, since the enactment of this important legislation, nearly 2 million Americans have died as a result of workplace hazards. The Occupational Health and Safety Act has made strides toward saving lives; the number of fatalities due to injury has declined by almost one-half since 1974. Despite this, lost workday injury and illness rates remained stable over the same period of time. Also, the disbursement of workers compensation benefits has increased at often two-times the normal rate during this period. The Rand Institute of Civil Justice estimates that workplace injury and illness impose a cost of $83 billion a year on society. These figures demonstrate that the Federal Government has fallen short of its promise to ensure every American a safe and healthy workplace. OSHA has been in place for over 20 years now, and--unlike other Federal environmental and safety laws--has not been reformed since its enactment. The workplace has changed greatly, and technology has improved. But protection for workers has not kept pace. I firmly believe that most employers are committed to improving and guaranteeing a safe workplace.”