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Washington, D.C – National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen M. Kelley has been appointed to serve on the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH), an advisory body created to monitor health and safety issues affecting federal workers.

President Kelley said she is confident that adding her voice to the council will help result in more informative recommendations and better practical results toward improving federal workers’ safety and health.

“I am looking forward to assisting the council in its ongoing efforts to reduce the number of injuries and illnesses in the federal sector,” she said. “Workplace injuries among federal employees continue to be of concern, especially in the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) where the annual workplace injury and illness rates are estimated to be three to four times higher than those of any other federal agency.”

FACOSH was established in 1971 and consists of 16 federal labor and management representatives. The council’s mission is to advise the Secretary of Labor on appropriate policies and initiatives that enhance occupational safety and health in the federal workplace, and to actively endorse these policies and initiatives in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

FACOSH also acts as a clearinghouse of data, statistics and other information related to the occupational health and safety of federal employees.

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing some 150,000 federal workers in 31 agencies and departments.