Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis to visit oil spill site in Louisiana for 2-day up close look at US Department of Labor activities at work | Occupational Safety and Health Administration

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Release Number: 10-802-NAT
June 8, 2010
Contact: Elizabeth Todd
Phone: 972-850-4710
On-Site contact: Sonia Melendez
Phone: 202-253-5437 (cell)

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis to visit oil spill site in Louisiana for
2-day up close look at US Department of Labor activities at work

WASHINGTON - At the direction of the president, Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis will travel to Houma, La., on Wednesday, June 9, to receive briefings from Unified Command officials about the administration's ongoing aggressive response to the BP oil spill, and inspect efforts to ensure the health, safety and well-being of workers affected by the spill and engaged in the spill response.

Secretary Solis' actions on scene will be coordinated by National Incident Cmdr. Adm. Thad Allen, who is leading the administration-wide response and directing all interagency activities.

In the Gulf region, Secretary Solis will join Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Dr. David Michaels to meet with OSHA staff about safety efforts underway for workers during clean-up activities. She also will conduct an aerial tour of the affected area and meet with beach clean-up workers to discuss the administration's efforts to ensure their safety.

Secretary Solis will conclude her trip in Houma on Wednesday with a tour and visit of the Terrebonne Career Solutions Center, where she will meet with Vietnamese workers who have been impacted by the oil spill. The Department of Labor has been providing resources for oil spill workers translated into Vietnamese as well as Spanish.

On Thursday, June 10, Solis will visit the Zion Travelers Cooperative Center in Phoenix, La., to assess the programs that are being offered for workers in the area. She also will meet with African-American fishermen, and tour the Jefferson Business and Career Solutions Center in Gretna, La., where she will meet with representatives from shrimp and oyster associations in Louisiana. She will conclude her meetings with nonprofit organizations that have been assisting various affected workers.

All the events listed below are OPEN PRESS.

Wednesday, June 9

10 to 11:30 a.m. CDT	Port Fourchon, La. Beach clean-up site

1:45 to 2:30 p.m.CDT	Terrebonne Career Solutions Center 807 Barrow St., Houma, La. Tour of One-stop Career Center

2:30 to 4 p.m.CDT	Terrebonne Career Solutions Center 807 Barrow St., Houma, La. Listening session with Vietnamese workers who have been impacted by the oil spill

Thursday, June 10

9 to 9:45 a.m. CDT	Zion Travelers Cooperative Center 120 Thomas Lane, Phoenix, La. Meeting and listening session with impacted African-American fishermen

11 a.m. to noon CDT	Jefferson Business and Career Solutions Center 1900 Lafayette St., Gretna, La. Meeting with representatives from shrimp and oyster associations

1:30 to 2:30 p.m. CDT	Jefferson Business and Career Solutions Center 1900 Lafayette St., Gretna, La. Meeting with nonprofit organizations helping various affected workers from the African-American and Latino communities

In total, senior administration officials have visited the region 31 times since BP's oil rig exploded on April 20 - including trips by the president, National Incident Cmdr. Adm. Thad Allen, Interior Secretary Salazar, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Jackson, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Lubchenco and Small Business Administration Administrator Karen Mills.

U.S. Department of Labor Labor releases are accessible on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov. The information in this news release will be made available in alternate format (large print, Braille, audiotape or disc) from the COAST office upon request. Please specify which news release when placing your request at 202-693-7828 or TTY 202-693-7755. The Labor Department is committed to providing America's employers and employees with easy access to understandable information on how to comply with its laws and regulations. For more information, please visit http://www.dol.gov/compliance.