Summary

GAO testified on the value of worksite safety and health programs and committees on improving the safety and health of U.S. workers. In an August 1990 report (GAO/HRD-90-66BR), GAO highlighted the importance of employer and employee involvement in improving workplace safety and health. In follow-on work, GAO further examined the feasibility of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's requiring employers to have safety and health programs. GAO identified six state-operated safety and health programs that require some or all employers to implement safety and health programs; three of them also require employers to involve employees in safety and health committees. Preliminary information from those states and other sources indicates that safety and health programs (1) have a positive impact, (2) extend enforcement agencies' limited resources, and (3) can be implemented successfully by employers. This testimony summarizes the results of these two GAO studies.