Washington, DC – The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) today recognized more than 60 shops and Congressional offices for maintaining hazard-free workplaces.
The Safety Recognition Awards were given to 12 shops and 51 Members of Congress whose workplaces met OCWR safety criteria during the 115th biennial Congressional inspections. The Board of Directors of the OCWR administers the Safety Awards program to promote safety and accessibility. The awards are presented in partnership with the National Safety Council (NSC), a nonprofit safety organization that seeks to prevent injuries and save lives at work, at home, in communities, and on the road.
Senator Chuck Grassley delivered the awards ceremony’s keynote address and presented awards to two safety advocates who exhibited exceptional support of safety processes and hazard-reduction efforts during the 115th Congress.
The Safety Advocates are Sharon Cregger, Safety, Occupational Health and Environmental (SOHE) Manager for the Library of Congress Packard Campus, and David Hicks, Safety and Occupational Health Specialist for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC).
“We are proud to recognize these individuals and the offices for achieving an exemplary level of safety,” said John D. Uelmen, General Counsel of the OCWR. “We have made great strides in improving safety and health due to the cooperative efforts of many people from many offices.”
To qualify for the awards, shops and offices met safety criteria developed by the OCWR in cooperation with the NSC. New in the 115th Congress, state and district offices were asked to inspect their workplaces to ensure that basic safety standards had been met.
“We are thrilled to celebrate a culture of safety and health that goes beyond the boundaries of Capitol Hill,” said Susan Tsui Grundmann, Executive Director of the OCWR. “So many offices here and around the country have made safety a priority.”
The 51 Members (16 Senators and 35 Representatives) who received today’s Safety Recognition Awards represent a dramatic increase since the first ceremony in 2006, when only seven Members received awards.
Occupational safety and health inspections for the 116th Congress are underway. The awards ceremony for the 116th Congress is planned for the spring of 2021. The OCWR looks forward to recognizing even more shops and offices from the 116th Congress as we continue to work toward a safe and accessible legislative branch.
