Perez: Compliance ‘critical’ to worker safety
Washington – The Department of Labor should help businesses comply with safety regulations, which are critical to ensuring workers are protected, labor secretary nominee Thomas Perez said in response to questions submitted by Republican members of a Senate committee.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee released the questions, as well as Perez’s answers, on May 7. OSHA-related topics included the Voluntary Protection Programs, silica rulemaking and workplace noise. Perez deferred specific responses to many of the questions, stating he did not know enough about the issue to offer an opinion and would learn more about it if confirmed.
In general, Perez promised to work with Congress on a number of issues, including regulatory initiatives and reducing workplace injuries.
The HELP committee is scheduled to address Perez’s nomination in a hearing on May 16. The hearing has been rescheduled twice.
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