WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman Dave Loebsack participated in the House Education and Labor Committee hearing to examine how worker health and safety is regulated and enforced by various parties from oil rigs themselves to post-accident cleanup operations. Loebsack stressed the need to focus on workers’ health and safety, particularly during the cleanup after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and on ensuring whistleblower protections are enhanced both on the actual oil rig vessels and for clean-up workers.“We must focus on health and safety, and we must remain committed to ensuring that those who are on the front lines of our nation’s response receive the treatment and protections they deserve,” said Loebsack. “According to experts, there are numerous health effects associated with oil response work, and we must make sure that those who are working to clean up the oil spill receive all the support they need and proper precautionary efforts to keep workers safe are taken.”
“Oil spill cleanup workers are on the front lines of the nation’s response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Currently it is estimated that there are more than 33,000 people involved in the response, including over 13,000 cleanup workers employed by BP or its contractors, 1,600 National Guardsmen and women, workers on over 6,000 boats supporting the response operations, and more than 1,800 Federal employees directly involved in the cleanup operations in four states,” stated Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.
“I also want to highlight the need to ensure that clean-up workers concerns about safety or health are addressed in a manner that will not lead to reprisal or intimidation. From the testimony and question and answer session, it appears that whistleblower protections need to be enhanced for oil rig workers as well so that their concerns with the operation of the oil wells are addressed immediately,” added Loebsack.
“It is important to note that in recent years several studies of previous oil spill response efforts have reported acute health effects in response workers. These studies may underestimate the health effects associated with oil response work since the magnitude and duration of the Deepwater Horizon response is unprecedented,” stated Dr. John Howard, Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Click here to view the hearing and read transcripts of the witnesses. Click here to review video of Loebsack inquiring about worker safety and health.
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