March 28, 2016
Contact: Office of Communications
Phone: 202-693-1999

OSHA will hold meeting of the Whistleblower Protection Advisory
Committee

WASHINGTON - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has scheduled a meeting of the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee for April 25-26, 2016, in Washington, D.C. The Outreach and Training Work Groups will meet April 25 and the full committee will meet April 26.

The agenda will include remarks from Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, MaryAnn Garrahan, director of the Directorate of Whistleblower Protection Programs, and representatives from federal agencies with whistleblower programs; presentation from railroad industry whistleblowers; and public comments.

Meetings will convene at the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20210. Both work group meetings will held from 3 - 5 p.m. EST on April 25. The Outreach Work Group will meet in Room C-5320; the Training Work Group will meet in Room C-5521. The committee will meet from 9 - 4 p.m. EST, April 26 in Room N-4437 A-C. Meetings are open to the public. Comments and requests to speak may be submitted electronically at www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking Portal, and by mail or facsimile. See the Federal Register notice for details. Comments, requests to speak and requests for special accommodations must be submitted by April 12, 2016.

WPAC was established to advise and make recommendations to the secretary of labor and the assistant secretary for occupational safety and health on ways to improve the fairness, efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of OSHA's whistleblower protection activities.

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of Section 11(c) of the OSH Act, and 21 other statutes protecting employees who report violations of various securities laws, trucking, airline, nuclear power, pipeline, environmental, rail, maritime, health care, workplace safety and health regulations, and consumer product safety laws. For more information, please visit www.whistleblowers.gov.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

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