Solis spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony for a workers’ memorial monument held at the National Labor College in Silver Spring, Md.
"The bricks and mortar of the monument we build today remind us that we are all connected in this life, and the loss of a single worker is profoundly felt by families, neighbors, friends and communities across our nation," Solis said at the ceremony. "As we dedicate the building of this monument to fallen workers, we must also rededicate ourselves to defending and enforcing every man and woman’s rights to a safe and healthful working environment."
Solis also said that through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to improve America’s infrastructure and put Americans to work, OSHA will receive economic recovery funds, which will be directed toward enhanced and targeted enforcement; technical assistance, guidance, training and outreach; and construction data collection.
She also stressed that as part of OSHA’s efforts to provide compliance assistance and outreach, the agency will continue to communicate with the nation’s immigrant workforce through places of worship, community organizations and consulates. For example, OSHA’s Region II has been working with the consulates of El Salvador, Columbia and Brazil to provide information on workplace safety and health.