OSHA's new Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee held its first meeting last week in Washington, D.C. Representatives from both management and labor highlighted improvements made to the program over the past 18 months.

Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels stressed the importance of whistleblowers to the broad economy, to worker safety, environmental protection, and to protecting the integrity of the financial system.

He challenged the committee to help OSHA find ways to return fired whistleblowers to their jobs more quickly and smoothly, and to provide ideas that help more employers create a workplace culture that invites workers to speak up and identify hazards.

"Workers must have the ability to protect the health and safety of not just themselves, but other workers as well," said Michaels.

More in information on OSHA's Whistleblower Protection Program is available at www.whistleblowers.gov.