Two of the nation’s largest workplace safety associations are pushing for congress to eliminate House Policy Riders, that if approved would prevent the adoption of and injury/illness prevention program standard.

In legislative procedure, a rider is an additional provision added to a bill or other measure under the consideration by a legislature, having little connection with the subject matter of the bill. Riders are usually created as a tactic to pass a controversial provision that would not pass as its own bill.

According the American Society of Safety Engineers and the American Industrial Hygiene Association Congress has introduced several riders that would not only prevent the adoption of the IIPP standard, but also prevent OSHA from enforcing parts of an agency standard on grain handling safety in silos, enforcement of a new OSHA residential construction fall protection directive; and terminate the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program.

The organizations are also urging congress to continue funding to OSHA and NIOSH at current levels so the government organizations can continue to push forward worker protection initiatives.

“Please continue to champion the safety and health of American workers by doing everything in your power to maintain stable funding levels for OSHA and NIOSH, prevent harmful policy riders, and ensure the continuation of the AgFF and ERC programs in conference on the FY 2013 Labor –HHS-Education Appropriations bill,” the safety groups wrote in their letter to Sen. Harkin.