Public Service Worker Protection Act
The Public Service Worker Protection Act would extend Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) coverage to public-sector workers—employees of the federal government, states, and local governments. It amends the law’s definitions to explicitly include government employees, removing an existing limitation that excluded them. The bill preserves existing state-OSHA plans, while providing a phased transition: most workplaces would come under the expanded coverage 90 days after enactment, but workplaces in states or subdivisions without an approved State Plan would have a 36-month delay before OSHA coverage applies. The change aims to ensure that public employees receive the same safety and health protections already available to private-sector workers, subject to the state-plan framework where applicable.
Key Points
- 1Expands OSHA coverage to public employees, including federal, state, and local government workers.
- 2Amends Section 3(5) to remove the exclusion language and explicitly include public entities in coverage.
- 3The rule of construction preserves the existing State Plan structure under Section 18 of the OSHA Act.
- 4Effective dates: general effective date is 90 days after enactment; states/subdivisions without an approved State Plan have a 36-month delay for coverage.
- 5Implications for enforcement and funding: OSHA would enforce safety standards for public-employer workplaces; implementation timing varies by state-plan status and may require resources for inspection and compliance.