TRSA Applauds House for OSHA Reform Actions

Alexandria , VA —The Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA) commends the U.S. House of Representatives for passing four bills on Tuesday that will improve worker safety by making it easier for employers to work with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The bills passed by a vote of 233-194. “These bills make sensible adjustments to the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970,” said TRSA President and CEO Roger Cocivera. On Monday, TRSA delivered letters to each member of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 2728, H.R. 2729, H.R. 2730 and H.R. 2731. The four proposals were previously included in the Occupational Safety and Health Fairness Act of 2003.

Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairman Charlie Norwood (R-GA), sponsor of the four measures, said the OSHA reform bills represent, “critical steps toward delivering unprecedented safety for workers,” and will go a long way toward, “leveling the playing field for small businesses by giving them new tools to fight unjust OSH A citations, enhancing their competitiveness in our economy and refueling our nation’s small-business jobs-creation engine.”

Cocivera said, “These bills are critical to help assure that the textile rental services industry can partner effectively with OSHA. We urge the Senate to pass this legislation.”

OSHA 2728 gives the Occupational Safety Review Commission additional flexibility to make exemptions when a small business misses the 15-day deadline for filing a response to an OSHA citation. H.R. 2729 raises the number of members to the commission from three to five to help assure that cases are evaluated in a timely manner. H.R. 2730 clarifies that the commission is an independent entity given deference by the courts reviewing appeals to OSHA citations. H.R. 2731 allows small employers to be awarded attorney’s fees and court costs when they contest OHSA citations and prevail in court.

Cocivera said the House was wise to recognize that smaller worksites can make significant progress in reducing workplace risks, if OSHA lends a helping hand to these employers through cooperative partnerships. “These bills, when enacted, will go a long way toward making our workplaces safer than ever,” Cocivera said.

The Textile Rental Services Association of America (TRSA) is a national trade association representing over 1,100 company locations across the nation.  Since 1913, TRSA members have provided textile maintenance and rental services to commercial, industrial and institutional accounts-over 90 percent of TRSA member companies are small businesses.  TRSA members serve hygienically clean textile and dust control items to millions of customers in commerce, industry, and other professions, from automobile service to manufacturing, restaurants and hospitals.  The textile rental industry generates yearly sales of roughly $11 billion. U.S. linen supply and industrial laundering companies employ more than 110,000 people.