Committee on House Administration Commends Architect for 60 Percent Reduction in Congressional Workplace Hazards Since 109^th Congress

WASHINGTON – Today, Committee on House Administration Chairman Dan Lungren, R-Calif., and Ranking Member Robert Brady, D-Pa., issued the following joint statement on the Office of Compliance's (OOC) 2010 Annual Report:

"First, we would like to commend the Architect of the Capitol for his ongoing efforts to address the safety hazards identified by the OOC. According to the OOC, the number of safety hazards declined 60 percent since the 109^th Congress.

"We also want to acknowledge the Office of Compliance for their work and willingness to increase awareness through their participation in Congressional forums such as New Member Orientation and staff seminars hosted by the Congressional Research Service. Although the number of contacts they received in FY 2010 was less than 1 percent of the 30,000 Legislative Branch employees, it was a 23 percent increase from FY 2009, which shows that more employees are taking advantage of the OOC's services.

"As always, we will continue to work together to address the remaining hazards and ensure employees understand their rights and protections afforded by the Congressional Accountability Act."

According to the report, the 111^th biennial inspection of Congressional properties covering 17 million square feet identified a 60 percent reduction in workplace hazards since the 109^th Congress.