110 HR 2049 IH: To amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
U.S. House of Representatives
2007-04-26
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.This Act may be cited as the
Protecting America’s Workers Act
.
2.Except as otherwise expressly provided,
wherever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an
amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, the reference shall
be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Occupational
Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.).
<enum>I</enum><header>COVERAGE AND
APPLICATION OF ACT</header>
<section id="H303D249372B749D6BBFF56CDB4BFC7E"><enum>101.</enum><header>Coverage of
public employees</header>
<subsection id="H672EFFFE17E84B4B91D6B0BE5B162500"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
General</header><text>Section 3(5) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/652">29 U.S.C. 652(5)</external-xref>) is amended by striking
<quote>but does not include</quote> and all that follows and inserting
<quote>including the United States, a State, or a political subdivision of a
State.</quote>.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H6D61D4891D024F92A9EA57A300011C3F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Construction</header><text>Nothing
in this Act shall be construed to affect the application of section 18 of the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/667">29 U.S.C. 667</external-xref>).</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HBB1B9EBC67164D55AC5FF78EAC5ED93"><enum>102.</enum><header>Application of
Act</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 4(b) (29 U.S.C.
653(b)(1)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H93D0B553AE9F47EFBC4DF5D965CBF7AA"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating
paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) as paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), respectively;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0906DCD0BAED4A60A62F9C5C05346323"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by striking
paragraph (1) and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H7A73197C1C4E4B06866DC87D72218C56" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="H7E824BE78B9147849468AAE840926F8" indent="up1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>If a Federal agency has promulgated
and is enforcing a standard or regulation affecting occupational safety or
health of some or all of the employees within that agency’s regulatory
jurisdiction, and the Secretary determines that such a standard or regulation
as promulgated and the manner in which the standard or regulation is being
enforced provides protection to those employees that is at least as effective
as the protection provided to those employees by this Act and the Secretary’s
enforcement of this Act, the Secretary may publish a certification notice in
the Federal Register. The notice shall set forth that determination and the
reasons for the determination and certify that the Secretary has ceded
jurisdiction to that Federal agency with respect to the specified standard or
regulation affecting occupational safety or health. In determining whether to
cede jurisdiction to a Federal agency, the Secretary shall seek to avoid
duplication of, and conflicts between, health and safety requirements. Such
certification shall remain in effect unless and until rescinded by the
Secretary.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H26211EE4FB0A46AB9D48D2A3000408B6" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Secretary shall, by regulation,
establish procedures by which any person who may be adversely affected by a
decision of the Secretary certifying that the Secretary has ceded jurisdiction
to another Federal agency pursuant to paragraph (1) may petition the Secretary
to rescind a certification notice under paragraph (1). Upon receipt of such a
petition, the Secretary shall investigate the matter involved and shall, within
90 days after receipt of the petition, publish a decision with respect to the
petition in the Federal Register.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H9943F05911BF4F749424F85200FC42A2" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Any person who may be adversely
affected by—</text>
<subparagraph id="HF54B21F10DDB43AE9DCEF0DBAB5C8863"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a decision of the Secretary certifying
that the Secretary has ceded jurisdiction to another Federal agency pursuant to
paragraph (1); or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBE3FD47C9AE642D7B600F0436D597E00"><enum>(B)</enum><text>a decision of the Secretary denying a
petition to rescind such a certification notice under paragraph (1),</text>
</subparagraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph" indent="subsection">may, not later than 60 days after such decision is
published in the Federal Register, file a petition challenging such decision
with the United States court of appeals for the circuit in which such person
resides or such person has a principal place of business, for judicial review
of such decision. A copy of the petition shall be forthwith transmitted by the
clerk of the court to the Secretary. The Secretary’s decision shall be set
aside if found to be arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or
otherwise not in accordance with law.</continuation-text></paragraph><paragraph id="HC08F0BB68E26489AAA2D4F3C00371D7D" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Nothing in this Act shall apply to
working conditions covered by the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977
(30 U.S.C. 801 et
seq.).</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><enum>II</enum><header>INCREASING
PROTECTIONS FOR WHISTLEBLOWERS</header>
<section id="HFAF649F6E73D4B06B6869425288FC5C"><enum>201.</enum><header>Employee
actions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 11(c)(1) (29
U.S.C. 660(c)(1)) is amended by inserting before the period at the end the
following: <quote>, including reporting any injury, illness, or unsafe
condition to the employer, agent of the employer, safety and health committee
involved, or employee safety and health representative involved</quote>.</text>
</section><section id="H41FC992558504FCF80F904E85FC2D7FB"><enum>202.</enum><header>Prohibition of
discrimination</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 11(c)
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/660">29 U.S.C. 660(c)</external-xref>) is amended by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the
following:</text>
<quoted-block id="HCF7427516DC04359A2C5161B11E605A5" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HBE58A257EAB6447EB86BC7E12FBF805E" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>No person shall discharge or in any
manner discriminate against an employee for refusing to perform the employee’s
duties if the employee has a reasonable apprehension that performing such
duties would result in serious injury to, or serious impairment of the health
of, the employee or other employees. The circumstances causing the employee’s
apprehension of serious injury or serious impairment of health shall be of such
a nature that a reasonable person, under the circumstances confronting the
employee, would conclude that there is a bona fide danger of a serious injury,
or serious impairment of health, resulting from the circumstances. In order to
qualify for protection under this paragraph, the employee, when practicable,
shall have sought from the employee’s employer, and have been unable to obtain,
a correction of the circumstances causing the refusal to perform the employee’s
duties.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H2F2DDBA860D64FD4B101B700363ECADB"><enum>203.</enum><header>Procedure</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 11(c) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/660">29 U.S.C. 660(c)</external-xref>) is amended
by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H81AE4E9A6DD249C0BB27E5A2BA006081" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HFF9D55547B2543A89221FEA20097988C" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Any employee who believes that the
employee has been discharged, disciplined, or otherwise discriminated against
by any person in violation of paragraph (1) or (2) may, within 180 days after
such alleged violation occurs, file (or have filed by any person on the
employee’s behalf) a complaint with the Secretary alleging that such discharge
or discrimination violates paragraph (1) or (2). Upon receipt of such a
complaint, the Secretary shall notify the person named in the complaint
(referred to in this subsection as the <quote>respondent</quote>) of the filing
of the complaint.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCDABA7B3F2424851A1864861A7511367" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H88AFFDB630ED4FF798A030A8EAD8C812"><enum>(A)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H317D6151B8AE43028BBA20164BF60650"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Not later than 60 days
after the receipt of a complaint filed under paragraph (3), the Secretary shall
conduct an investigation and determine whether there is reasonable cause to
believe that the complaint has merit. During the investigation, the Secretary
shall notify the respondent of the charges made in the complaint, and shall
provide such person with an opportunity to meet with the inspector conducting
the investigation, to submit a response to such charges, and to present
witnesses to rebut such charges. The Secretary shall also consider the result
of any grievance proceeding provided for in a collective bargaining agreement,
that may have been held with respect to such charges. Upon completion of the
investigation, the Secretary shall issue findings and notify the complainant
and the respondent of the Secretary’s findings. If the Secretary has concluded
that there is reasonable cause to believe that a violation has occurred, the
Secretary’s findings shall be accompanied by a preliminary order providing the
relief prescribed by subparagraph (B).</text>
</clause><clause id="H7BBE49DEB7E34EA7BD3E3BA0D34F3E33" indent="up2"><enum>(ii)</enum><subclause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H9C9989DA6E374D3CAFB67B98F462BA00"><enum>(I)</enum><text>Not later than 30 days
after the Secretary has issued findings under clause (i), either the respondent
or the complainant may file objections to the findings or preliminary order,
and request a hearing on the record, except that the filing of such objections
shall not operate to stay any reinstatement remedy contained in the preliminary
order.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HA2AEBFF2B4404332B5B9B4E6B7D38983" indent="up1"><enum>(II)</enum><text>If a hearing described in subclause
(I) is not requested in the 30-day period described in such subclause with
respect to a preliminary order, the order shall be deemed to be a final order
and not subject to judicial review.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H04E433740B0A449F95A825D2E39D4142" indent="up1"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>If the Secretary does not issue
findings under clause (i) with respect to a complaint within 90 days after the
receipt of the complaint, the complainant may request a hearing on the record
on the complaint.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H9E5027CBC227415F96B3F1AED20040F3" indent="up1"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>The Secretary shall expeditiously
conduct a hearing requested under clause (ii) or (iii). Upon the conclusion of
such hearing, the Secretary shall issue a final order within 120 days. Until
the issuance of a final order, such hearing may be terminated at any time on
the basis of a settlement agreement entered into by the Secretary, the
complainant, and the respondent.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H976CEEDCA93A453780717776368651BE" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><item commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HA1A9137235B34F259F1F8E388283008D"><enum>(i)</enum><text>If, in response to a
complaint filed under paragraph (3), the Secretary determines that a violation
of paragraph (1) or (2) has occurred, in issuing an order under subparagraph
(A)(iv), the Secretary shall require—</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="HBA71F1DB7ED148ABA044529552A27359"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the person who committed such
violation to correct the violation;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H721AB43BC0324220BD15ED12166DD7FD"><enum>(II)</enum><text>such person to reinstate the
complainant to the complainant’s former position together with the compensation
(including backpay), terms, conditions, and privileges of the complainant’s
employment; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H84908D411CFC48FD8BA6EC16A56FEBB2"><enum>(III)</enum><text>such person to pay compensatory
damages.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HC7762FBD350E49B5AA9E2E762B7021B4" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>On issuing an order requiring a
remedy described in clause (i), the Secretary, at the request of the
complainant, may assess against the person against whom the order is issued a
sum equal to the aggregate amount of all costs and expenses (including
attorney’s fees) reasonably incurred, as determined by the Secretary, by the
complainant for, or in connection with a complaint upon which the order was
issued.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H72C22F7C06DF438FA1CBC008C8F66DC4" indent="up1"><enum>(5)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H66766B152FBF47E7957E98512C89CD89"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Any person adversely
affected or aggrieved by an order issued after a hearing conducted under
paragraph (4)(A) may obtain review of the order in the United States Court of
Appeals for the circuit in which the violation, with respect to which the order
was issued, allegedly occurred, or the circuit in which such person resided on
the date of such violation. The petition for review shall be filed within 60
days after the issuance of the Secretary’s order. Such review shall be
conducted in accordance with the provisions of <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/7">chapter 7</external-xref> of title 5, United
States Code. The court shall conduct the review and issue a decision
expeditiously.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFEBDFEBA698C4A53ADEA60A978E2FFAD" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>If a person fails to comply with an
order issued under paragraph (4)(A), the Secretary shall file a civil action in
the United States district court for the district in which the violation was
found to occur in order to enforce such order. In actions brought under this
subparagraph, the district court shall have jurisdiction to grant all
appropriate relief, including injunctive relief, reinstatement, and
compensatory damages.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H40CA463C29E44539AA6651F4A9F4E008" indent="up1"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The legal burdens of proof set forth
in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/1221">section 1221(e)</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, shall govern adjudication of
violations under this
subsection.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="HB07061D6F82F4F2E9B3583856349ECC"><enum>204.</enum><header>Relation to
enforcement</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 17(j) (29
U.S.C. 666(j)) is amended by inserting before the period the following:
<quote>, including the history of violations, under section
11(c)</quote>.</text>
</section><enum>III</enum><header>INCREASING
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATORS</header>
<section id="H35C083E8F31D4CDCBCBB60D19E6D2006"><enum>301.</enum><header>Posting of
employee rights</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section
8(c)(1) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/657">29 U.S.C. 657(c)(1)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new
sentence: <quote>Such regulations shall include provisions requiring employers
to post for employees information on the protections afforded under section
11(c).</quote>.</text>
</section><section id="HE15C862D027649EFB8D7EBC4391B173D"><enum>302.</enum><header>Investigations
of fatalities and serious incidents</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 8 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/657">29 U.S.C. 657</external-xref>) is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block id="HEC521BF69DB041AA88A8D9009B1663DB" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HB82E1B3A3B494CC8804D3CA1E2CA982C"><enum>(i)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H007694781FEB4FF0B542B742CD3EB581"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Secretary shall
investigate any incident resulting in death or serious incident, that occurs in
a place of employment covered by this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6F24639D2BA344C20072A5A5649176D" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>If an incident resulting in death or
serious incident occurs in a place of employment covered by this Act, the
employer shall notify the Secretary of the incident involved and shall take
appropriate measures to prevent the destruction or alteration of any evidence
that would assist in investigating the incident. The appropriate measures
required by this paragraph do not prevent an employer from taking action on a
worksite to prevent injury to employees or substantial damage to property. If
an employer takes such action, the employer shall notify the Secretary of the
action in a timely fashion.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HFB4945334A5749BFAA12E6ABED77EEFE" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>In this subsection:</text>
<subparagraph id="H0441898501E84C72BD0027C2CC1600D6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Incident resulting in
death</header><text>The term <term>incident resulting in death</term> means an
incident that results in the death of an employee.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB079D3C7F17742CBABB500B219DF2207"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Serious incident</header><text>The
term <term>serious incident</term> means an incident that results in the
hospitalization of 2 or more
employees.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H12559BB0D333484A0025FF68326461BD"><enum>303.</enum><header>Prohibition on
unclassified citations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section
9 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/658">29 U.S.C. 658</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H1816EB490C1945F0A2B843DF4DEB6376" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H4FE2B9647C574CE3B9A11495DE55B8EC"><enum>(d)</enum><text>The Secretary may
not designate a citation issued under this section as an unclassified
citation.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H3EFA785369D6431D99E98FFC7C0700"><enum>304.</enum><header>Victims’
rights</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Act is amended by
inserting after section 9 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/658">29 U.S.C. 658</external-xref>) the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H6C1894D047844D47ABE6162C3DD1B096" style="OLC">
<section id="H026EB6C6877F432F88CF19FF9EA24592"><enum>9A.</enum><header>Victim’s
rights</header>
<subsection id="HC3210D4B67BC49EE9BA7744301096DA8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>In
this section, the term <term>victim</term> means—</text>
<paragraph id="H43CABD77B6564090AB2148001315E95E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>an employee who
has sustained a work-related injury or illness that is the subject of an
inspection or investigation conducted under section 8, or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC27E064EC6864306BCF2EECA274BF397"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a family member of
an employee, if—</text>
<subparagraph id="HA1835BBBC499463896A09210C2B348FB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the employee is
killed as a result of a work-related injury or illness that is the subject of
an inspection or investigation conducted under section 8; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3E420A268F584F039FC4EA7C890079C2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the employee
sustains a work-related injury or illness that is the subject of an inspection
or investigation conducted under section 8, and the employee cannot reasonably
exercise the employee’s rights under this section.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H2AD73F02801946FEBDCD00DC28BE5CFE"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Rights</header><text>On
request, a victim shall be afforded the right, with respect to a work-related
injury or illness (including a death resulting from a work-related injury or
illness) involving an employee, to—</text>
<paragraph id="HBDE10AF212EB4C6596018684048FBBD1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>meet with the
Secretary, or an authorized representative of the Secretary, regarding the
inspection or investigation conducted under section 8 concerning the employee’s
injury or illness before the Secretary’s decision to issue a citation or take
no action; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE67B300C89614AE3BFBC1F08EBC193C7"><enum>(2)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HD1DAF9EB254D4529B3287FDD00CD2DAD"><enum>(A)</enum><text>receive, at no cost, a
copy of any citation or report, issued as a result of such inspection or
investigation, on the later of the date the citation or report is issued and
the date of the request;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H13A8E833D37C458FBF20D7978E407294" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>be informed of any notice of contest
filed under section 10; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8CBB3913FA6E448589A78E77180AF22" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>be provided an explanation of the
rights of employee and employee representatives to participate in proceedings
conducted under section 10.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H0D7310EE03354530A83461FC446139B9"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Modification of
Citation</header><text>Before entering into an agreement to withdraw or modify
a citation issued as a result of an inspection or investigation of an incident
resulting in death or serious incident under section 8, the Secretary, on
request, shall provide an opportunity to the victim to appear and make a
statement before the parties conducting settlement negotiations.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H2D5789EC34F74A42AEC160A6F8021460"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Notification and
Review</header><text>The Secretary shall establish procedures—</text>
<paragraph id="H3402B0C3DCC8407CA2ED2C4826C14FF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to inform victims
of their rights under this section; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H98CB38AFDDF94B988021C7286F23CC5E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>for the informal
review of any claim of a denial of such a
right.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H62E73920DD4B4AEA90EDACAF8F4B4BB6"><enum>305.</enum><header>Right to
contest citations and penalties</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The first sentence of section 10(c) (29
U.S.C. 659(c)) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H1269FBB90A804C6885CD082BC77C8D00"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by inserting after
<quote>the issuance of a citation</quote> the following: <quote>(including a
modification of a citation issued)</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H09CE702CE874407300EF074EB752125"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by
inserting after <quote>files a notice with the Secretary alleging</quote> the
following: <quote>that the citation fails properly to designate the violation
as serious, willful, or repeated, that the proposed penalty is not adequate,
or</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H3A9B60AA078C44FCA74F7D6C91AFB284"><enum>306.</enum><header>Objections to
modification of citations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 10 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/659">29 U.S.C. 659</external-xref>) is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block id="H820A99D4B1E24BDA9209F08209D2F76" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H67DD3E46227448BCB351B2F6E631C4F0"><enum>(d)</enum><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H039740693FE748B38FD14B84919B65E5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>If the Secretary intends
to withdraw or to modify a citation issued under section 9(a) as a result of
any agreement with the cited employer, the Secretary shall provide (in
accordance with rules of procedure prescribed by the Commission) prompt notice
to affected employees or representatives of affected employees, and that notice
shall include the terms of the proposed agreement.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H51B158D53D764F478207513BC8946EC1" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Not later than 15 working days after
the receipt of a notice provided in accordance with paragraph (1), any employee
or representative of employees, regardless of whether such employee or
representative has previously elected to participate in the proceedings
involved, shall have the right to file a notice with the Secretary alleging
that the proposed agreement fails to effectuate the purposes of this Act and
stating the respects in which the agreement fails to effectuate the
purposes.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0C4F2021BF6E480BBBFDFFD7D138C79D" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Upon receipt of a notice filed under
paragraph (2), the Secretary shall consider the statements presented in the
notice, and if the Secretary determines to proceed with the proposed agreement,
the Secretary shall respond with particularity to the statements presented in
the notice.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H71589099010C4A8A9CA48D31764FCEB" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Not later than 15 working days
following the Secretary’s response provided pursuant to paragraph (3), the
employee or representative of employees shall, on making a request to the
Commission, be entitled to a hearing before the Commission as to whether
adoption of the proposed agreement would effectuate the purposes of this Act,
including a determination as to whether the proposed agreement would adequately
abate the alleged violations alleged in the citation.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDC98441224A04CC5A152FFA7E7D16D3" indent="up1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>If the Commission determines that the
proposed agreement fails to effectuate the purposes of this Act, the proposed
agreement shall not be entered as an order of the Commission and the citation
shall not be withdrawn or modified in accordance with the proposed
agreement.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="H3694FDBC07C04414AEB7F368E7334A4"><enum>307.</enum><header>Civil
penalties</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 17 (29
U.S.C. 666) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="HADB301A70C2E4E11891B552D7FDFACA1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection
(a)—</text>
<subparagraph id="HFB9DDCEEC7484661BB6075BBFF70D41D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>$70,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$100,000</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA02E22555EF447389E4B2DF1F8B76EA5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>$5,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$7,000</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA4246A411933437898861BBE31414118"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by adding at the
end the following: <quote>If such a violation causes the death of an employee,
such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not more than $250,000 for
such violation, but not less than $50,000 for such violation.</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD71E227CF3714C9493CFF9914187ABA1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection
(b)—</text>
<subparagraph id="HE33BF4535F5748F49408F78F00EECD48"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>$7,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$10,000</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7B0664A4F33D4676B429828E52EFD087"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the
end the following: <quote>If such a violation causes the death of an employee,
such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not more than $50,000 for such
violation, but not less than $20,000 for such violation.</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H32D41071BD4F48D5829BEA8870F0A21F"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection
(c)—</text>
<subparagraph id="H9F7AC80B979A48A69E5169A102BBA8E"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>$7,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$10,000</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA988E783DED74D229BE83D22E84D9FEF"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the
end the following: <quote>If such a violation causes the death of an employee,
such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not more than $50,000 for such
violation, but not less than $20,000 for such violation.</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H6DE8B66C4AC54DCFBBBADDCB506DAD74"><enum>(4)</enum><text>in subsection
(d)—</text>
<subparagraph id="HC854624A0C5F4EAD9F5FA4B501CF25B7"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>$7,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$10,000</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF5647E1EA822457B94803D45B33EFFC"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by adding at the
end the following: <quote>If such a violation causes the death of an employee,
such civil penalty amounts shall be increased to not more than $50,000 for such
violation, but not less than $20,000 for such violation.</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE610147A67A14E558735634C71CCABA3"><enum>(5)</enum><text>in subsection (i),
by striking <quote>$7,000</quote> and inserting <quote>$10,000</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H0A0E6B9222634B248548357C19F7D7AD"><enum>308.</enum><header>OSHA criminal
penalties</header>
<subsection id="H25F540839A1E4305B6AD5E12C331C2B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
General</header><text>Section 17 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/666">29 U.S.C. 666</external-xref>) (as amended by section 307) is
further amended—</text>
<paragraph id="H91605A714A9C4690ADB803B6035D6B4F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection
(e)—</text>
<subparagraph id="HC807867D4C2D421681ED00008E3CCC2C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>fine of not more than $10,000</quote> and inserting <quote>fine in
accordance with <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/3571">section 3571</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code,</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H16989A4114D6482A8079D9D0334456C3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>six months</quote> and inserting <quote>10 years</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H010632B18C7F456AB7F8DEB9952C3C51"><enum>(C)</enum><text>by inserting
<quote>under this subsection or subsection (i)</quote> after <quote>first
conviction of such person</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H673CB1C196A54C38BF63BF51C3ADEBA"><enum>(D)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>fine of not more than $20,000</quote> and inserting <quote>fine in
accordance with <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/3571">section 3571</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code,</quote>;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H94C7C2D67D3142C3B7C0015C082D9620"><enum>(E)</enum><text>by striking
<quote>one year</quote> and inserting <quote>20 years</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H3B43A657AFC84C2B8CBC284FDEB00343"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (f),
by striking <quote>fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more
than six months,</quote> and inserting <quote>fine in accordance with section
3571 of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 2
years,</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H25B01B5EF9924F9FAD3CABC1D4EED1B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in
subsection (g), by striking <quote>fine of not more than $10,000, or by
imprisonment for not more than six months,</quote> and inserting <quote>fine in
accordance with <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/3571">section 3571</external-xref> of title 18, United States Code, or by
imprisonment for not more than 1 year,</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H98633573455F470EAF29B0F864543719"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by redesignating
subsections (i) through (l) as subsections (j) through (m), respectively;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCC2BED71BBF441CE89AF6817BDD8007C"><enum>(5)</enum><text>by inserting after
subsection (h) the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H7BDBC92BED6546D88922EF73588DBD0" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HCAA94FBC491847659BA1160278B2A72C"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Any employer who
willfully violates any standard, rule, or order promulgated pursuant to section
6, or any regulation prescribed pursuant to this Act, and that violation causes
serious bodily injury to any employee but does not cause death to any employee,
shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine in accordance with section 3571
of title 18, United States Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 5 years,
or by both, except that if the conviction is for a violation committed after a
first conviction of such person under this subsection or subsection (e),
punishment shall be by a fine in accordance with <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/18/3571">section 3571</external-xref> of title 18,
United States Code, or by imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or by
both.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE68BA62BCF7E469F91A4FF74D44D71EA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>Section
3 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/652">29 U.S.C. 652</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H84599670ADE7445CA0F77ECDED3B8BEE" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="H207C239BB5CC40FE91DF98B2B415A83D"><enum>(15)</enum><text>The term
<term>serious bodily injury</term> means bodily injury that involves—</text>
<subparagraph id="HB536D3A069694189BEA8477BA88CF7C5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a substantial risk
of death;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HC3EBDDA73C804AD895144200A8D16D51"><enum>(B)</enum><text>protracted
unconsciousness;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HAED291E31B484373AFD6417B6E4F24A8"><enum>(C)</enum><text>protracted and
obvious physical disfigurement; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3A7F7EEFD135456C958D5CCD5CF12E3"><enum>(D)</enum><text>protracted loss or
impairment, of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental
faculty.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H42BA96780F704B76AED6985DA2000032"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Jurisdiction for
Prosecution Under State and Local Criminal Laws</header><text>Section 17 (29
U.S.C. 666) (as amended by subsection (a)) is further amended by adding at the
end the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="HAFE30EEF951A4064840111D100BBE533" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H1F057DA28EC5474F8F98362B1D74CE49"><enum>(o)</enum><text>Nothing in this
Act shall preclude a State or local law enforcement agency from conducting
criminal prosecutions in accordance with the laws of such State or
locality.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="H204E85FA860F49069D00933821DDF3D0"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Inflation
Adjustment</header><text>Section 17 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/666">29 U.S.C. 666</external-xref>) (as amended by subsection
(c)) is further amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H01D213395D9A464F97CE07A0791E6425" style="OLC">
<subsection id="HEEDD9A1E5C77449F851D8268C98E0656"><enum>(p)</enum><text>Amounts provided
under this section for civil penalties shall be adjusted by the Secretary at
least once during each 4-year period to account for the percentage increase or
decrease in the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers during such
period.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection></section><enum>IV</enum><header>REQUIRING
EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE AND PAY FOR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT</header>
<section id="H378652BBD4704E2700BABB209CECB1DA"><enum>401.</enum><header>Requirement</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 6(b) (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/655">29 U.S.C. 655(b)</external-xref>), as amended
by section 102(b), is further amended by adding at the end the
following:</text>
<quoted-block id="H65A989411DA648F8A31F2585E138817B" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="H69C1D7EB3F7F49CDA42545321B06B186" indent="up1"><enum>(10)</enum><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HF02D5B1A4B4D4F1D9807A6379016574B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>In this paragraph, the
term <term>personal protective equipment</term> means personal protective
equipment as such term is defined for purposes of section 1910.132(a) of title
29, Code of Federal Regulations (or any corresponding similar regulation or
ruling).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB286453D34904B2B850087FF4520193E" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H6F65D09D7DC94C668870F42E1400BF4B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>Not later than 30 days
after the date of enactment of the Protecting America’s Workers Act, the
Secretary shall amend <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/29/1910">section 1910.132(a)</external-xref> of title 29, Code of Federal
Regulations, to provide that protective equipment shall be provided at no cost
to the employee.</text>
</clause><clause id="HD8412EA2C37944EEBDA4A4324D8D1859" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>In promulgating any standard under
this section that requires protective equipment, the Secretary shall specify
that the protective equipment shall be provided at no cost to the
employee.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section>