Congress·In Committee·S. 1881

Sen. Markey Introduces Public Service Worker Protection Act to Expand OSHA Coverage

Public Service Worker Protection Act

10 months ago·View on Congress.gov

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

This bill would change federal law to ensure that government employees have the same workplace safety protections as people working in the private sector. Currently, many public workers like teachers, sanitation workers, and office staff are not covered by federal safety rules.
Under this plan, the government would be required to follow safety standards set by the Labor Department. This means agencies would have to fix hazards like mold, unsafe equipment, or dangerous heat levels, and they could face inspections to make sure they are following the rules.
The new rules would apply to federal workers almost immediately, starting 90 days after the bill is signed. State and local governments that do not already have their own safety programs would have three years to update their workplaces and meet the new federal requirements.
This change aims to reduce the number of injuries and illnesses among public servants. While it provides better protection for workers, it may also require state and local governments to spend money on building repairs or new safety equipment to stay in compliance with the law.

Labor Employment

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

May 22, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

May 22, 2025

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

90 days after enactment

Federal government workplaces must comply with OSHA safety standards

Federal workers would gain the right to file safety complaints and request OSHA inspections of their workplaces, just like private-sector employees.

36 months after enactment

State and local government workplaces without approved state safety plans must meet OSHA standards

Public employees in states that don't already run their own workplace safety programs — like teachers, road crews, and office staff — would finally be covered by federal safety rules. These governments would have 3 years to get their workplaces up to code.

Related News

3 articles

Safety+Health Magazine·4 months ago

Support grows for bill aimed at giving OSHA protections to public workers

A House bill that would extend OSHA protections to public sector employees now has 50 co-sponsors. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA) stated that American workers in every sector should have strong safety standards, addressing the gap where state and local government workers often lack federal protection.

Williamsport Sun-Gazette·11 months ago

Pennsylvania congressional leaders push for worker protections

Pennsylvania Reps. Chris Deluzio and Brian Fitzpatrick introduced a bipartisan bill extending OSHA protections to public sector workers. The bill aims to close a gap where millions of government employees remain unprotected by federal safety standards that prevent workplace harm.

HIPAA Journal·10 months ago

House/Senate Bills Seek to Expand OSH Act to Cover Public Sector Workers

Senator Ed Markey and Rep. Chris Deluzio introduced the Public Service Worker Protection Act to amend the OSH Act. The bill would include federal, state, and local government workers as 'employers,' requiring compliance with safety standards within 90 days for most and 36 months for others.