Transcript
[The Congressional Accountability Act: Safety and Accessibility]
Monique: The Congressional Accountability Act requires that legislative branch workplaces be free of recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious injury.
Virgil: The CAA also protects members of the public with disabilities from being denied access to public services, programs, activities, and places of public accommodation in the legislative branch.
Karen: Employing offices are required to comply with occupational safety and health standards and to provide workplaces free of recognized hazards.
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Shawn: We’ve received excellent training on the use of ladders, proper usage, positioning, and inspections. All of my coworkers know how to properly use a stepladder, but sometimes it’s just not the best equipment for the job. In order to get the job done, my coworkers were using the stepladder improperly.
Instead of obtaining a proper ladder for the job, they’d just lean the ladder up against the wall, climb up to the top, and do their task. I told the team leader about the improper use of the ladders, but nothing came of it. He said, “Nobody’s been hurt since I’ve been here, so what’s the big deal?”
Christopher: Legislative branch employees can submit a confidential request to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights for a safety inspection.
Shawn: It was at this point that I felt like it was just a matter of time before someone got hurt, so I asked for an inspection.
Virgil: Once we received the confidential request for inspection, our safety specialist conducted a site visit of the suspected unsafe working condition.
Shawn: When I saw the safety inspector on site, I knew someone had read my request. I didn’t say anything, but I was glad to see them respond so quickly.
Virgil: We take requests for inspections very seriously. And we also respond quickly to accessibility requests.
Thomas: I was escorting a veteran to visit with his member of Congress. Everything was fine until we got to the office. When we came through the office door, there was just no way he could even reach the front desk. The furniture created a choke point, and he couldn’t get through without bumping into things. The staff was pleasant about me moving things to clear a path, but I could tell it embarrassed him. This was not a good start to his visit. I reached out to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.
Virgil: In this case, a safety and health specialist can work with the staff of that office to make sure the workplace is accessible.
Karen: The Office of Congressional Workplace Rights takes health and safety and accessibility issues seriously. We inspect legislative branch facilities and report to the House and Senate once each Congress.
Narrator: The Congressional Accountability Act requires employing offices to comply with occupational safety and health standards and to provide hazard free workplaces. Members of the public with a disability may not be denied access to public services, programs, activities, or places of public accommodation.
If you want to request an inspection related to occupational safety and health or public accommodation, you can complete an OSH or ADA Request for Inspection form. PDF copies of both forms are available on the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights website.
The Office of Workplace Rights works to help ensure that the legislative branch is free of discrimination and harassment, safety and health hazards, accessibility barriers, and employment and labor violations. If you have questions or concerns about any of your rights under the CAA, reach out to the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights.
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