Ohio House Passes Bill to Protect Ohio Workers

COLUMBUS—The Ohio House of Representatives yesterday passed the Protect Ohio Workers Act, announced bill sponsor, State Rep. D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron).

House Bill 205 will establish minimum safety standards for construction work at oil refineries throughout Ohio. The Protect Ohio Workers Act will only apply to construction workers, not refinery employees.

Highlights of key provisions of the Protect Ohio Workers Act are as follows:

• Requires an apprenticeship credential to complete construction work.
• Requires completion of a 30-hour safety and health hazard recognition and prevention course approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
• Requires English language proficiency. 

“Setting these training standards is a critical piece of protecting the health and safety of both Ohio workers and the public,” said Swearingen.  “It is also critical that the construction work completed at our refineries be completed proficiently so that the refineries avoid shut downs due to workplace incidents.”

In order to ensure compliance, contractors will be required to prepare a quarterly compliance report for each calendar quarter during which the contractor provided construction services at a stationary source. The bill also establishes a mandatory workforce report be submitted by subcontractors to each contractor for construction services within ten calendar days of the end of each quarter.

The Protect Ohio Workers Act moves to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.