Protecting America’s Workers Act

This bill would change the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. It would extend federal workplace safety coverage to federal, state, and local government employees and expand protections for workers who report hazards or refuse dangerous work. It would raise civil penalty maximums and set minimums, adjust penalties yearly for inflation, and increase criminal penalties for knowing violations that cause death or serious bodily harm. It would also require employers to report certain injuries and preserve evidence after deaths or serious incidents, and give injured workers and victims' families rights to be informed and heard during investigations and proceedings. It would change how federal officials review state-run workplace safety plans.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Bernard Sanders Independent sponsor
• 17 cosponsors