Take Action to Protect Nuclear Workers' Safety

The House Armed Services Committee has recently proposed legislation that would seriously weaken worker safety and health protections at Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear weapons complex.

The legislation proposes to transfer worker safety and health responsibilities from the DOE’s Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and would also shift the entire safety and health program to “performance-based” oversight thereby effectively eliminating current health and safety standards that impose fines and penalties for violations.

The House bill limits the occupational safety and health standards that may be applied to the NNSA facilities to those promulgated under section 6 of the OSHAct. This not only excludes stronger protections afforded by DOE rules, it also excludes protections provided under OSHA regulations issued under section 8 of the OSHAct. These regulations include the OSHA 1904 recordkeeping rules, the 1977 regulations on anti-retaliation and the 1903 inspection rules which set out the rights of workers and unions to participate in inspections.

We are strongly opposed to these changes. It would endanger the lives of the many members we have working at these facilities.

Tell Congress to protect nuclear workers' safety.