This Act mandates a report to Congress evaluating the effectiveness of OSHA's spending on technical assistance for heat-related illness in workplaces, particularly in cool-weather states.
Claudia Tenney
Representative
NY-24
The Timothy J. Barber Act mandates that the Secretary of Labor report to Congress on the effectiveness of OSHA's spending for technical and compliance assistance related to heat-related illness. This report must analyze current results and recommend future actions to improve how funds are used for heat safety. The goal is to ensure federal resources are effectively addressing workplace heat hazards, particularly in cooler states.
New Act Mandates Labor Secretary Study OSHA's Heat Safety Spending and Report Back to Congress in 180 Days
The newly proposed Timothy J. Barber Act isn’t about immediately changing workplace rules; it’s about making sure the government is spending its money effectively on a serious issue: heat-related illness. Essentially, this bill is a mandate for an audit.
The Mandate: Checking the Receipts on Heat Safety
Section 2 of the Act requires the Secretary of Labor to conduct a deep dive into how the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is spending funds dedicated to technical help and compliance assistance for heat-related sickness. Think of it as Congress asking, “Are we getting our money’s worth?” The Secretary has to figure out two main things: first, how effective the current spending is, looking at results both nationwide and regionally. Second, they need to propose specific ways OSHA could spend that money in the future to get better results.
This isn't just an internal memo. Within 180 days of the Act becoming law, the Secretary must send a full report to Congress. Crucially, that report must not only detail the findings but also suggest any new laws or administrative actions Congress might need to take. This means the report could become the foundation for future, more concrete heat safety regulations down the line.
Why This Matters for the Everyday Worker
If you work outside—in construction, landscaping, delivery, or even in a non-air-conditioned warehouse—heat illness is a real danger, not just a summer inconvenience. OSHA is supposed to help employers manage this risk, but that help is only useful if it’s effective. This bill aims to improve that effectiveness. For example, if the study finds that current funding is mostly being spent on outdated pamphlets, the report might recommend shifting that money toward things like targeted, on-site training for small businesses or developing better real-time monitoring tools.
While the bill doesn't define what a “cool-weather State” is—which could lead to some confusion about regional focus—the overall goal is oversight. It’s a classic example of Congress using its power to check the administrative branch, ensuring that the federal agencies we rely on, like OSHA, are actually delivering useful results for the taxpayer and, more importantly, for the safety of the workforce.