Colorado legislative Democrats on Thursday began advancing a bill that that would allow state regulators to step in and promulgate workplace safety rules anytime the federal government repeals such a rule. And on this week’s “Colorado Chamber Office Hours” episode, I talk with one of the primary sponsors of this bill and with a prominent employment attorney over what good could come from this and what problems it could cause.
Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs, says that she believes the state must step up at a time when the Occupational Health and Safety Administration is stepping back in its enforcement of rules. House Bill 1054 stops short of creating a new state agency to oversee workplace safety but allows the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment to create new rules, and it lets both the Colorado Attorney General’s Office and individual state residents file civil legal actions to try to get employers to fix what they allege are safety shortfalls at workplaces, she says.
Former state Rep. Cole Wist, however, says that by failing to create a state workplace-safety agency, the bill would put employers in limbo, leaving them unsure of whether they need to follow state or federal rules. That could lead to a spate of costly enforcement actions without making conditions safer for workers throughout the state, he argues.
To hear this episode, check out these links on your favorite podcast channels:
