This bill would formally authorize and modernize the Department of Labor's existing Voluntary Protection Program, renaming it the Michael Enzi Voluntary Protection Program. The program allows employers to voluntarily commit to comprehensive workplace safety systems that include hazard assessments, prevention programs, employee training, and management-employee participation in safety efforts. Participating employers receive recognition for safety excellence and are exempt from routine safety inspections, though they must conduct annual self-evaluations and submit to periodic government evaluations that focus on improvement rather than enforcement citations. The legislation requires the Labor Department to modernize the program's technology within two years and establish performance monitoring systems, while dedicating at least 5 percent of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's annual budget to fund these activities. Current participants in good standing would have the option to continue in the newly authorized program, ensuring a smooth transition from the existing voluntary safety programs.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.