This part applies to the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health which has been established under section 107 of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 333), commonly known as the Construction Safety Act. The aforesaid section 107 requires the Secretary of Labor to seek the advice of the Advisory Committee in formulating construction standards thereunder. The standards which have been issued under section 107 are published in part 1926 of this chapter. In view of the far-reaching coverage of the Construction Safety Act, the myriad of standards which may be issued thereunder, and the fact that the Construction Safety Act would also apply to much of the work which is covered by the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, whenever occupational safety or health standards for construction activities are proposed, the Assistant Secretary shall consult the Advisory Committee. The composition of the Advisory Committee is consistent with that of advisory committees which may be appointed under section 7(b) of the Act. See paragraph (c) of this section. An additional advisory committee will not normally be established under section 7(b) of the Act, unless the issue or issues involved include, but extend beyond construction activity. See § 1912.4 concerning the general policy against duplication of activity by advisory committees.

The Advisory Committee is a continuing advisory body. It is composed of 15 members appointed by the Assistant Secretary, one of whom is appointed by him as Chairman. The composition of the Advisory Committee is as follows:

One member who is a designee of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare;

Five members who are qualified by experience and affiliation to present the viewpoint of the employers involved, and five members who are similarly qualified to present the viewpoint of the employees involved;

Two representatives of State safety and health agencies; and

Two members who are qualified by knowledge and experience to make a useful contribution to the work of the Committee.

As originally constituted, the Advisory Committee was composed of nine members. However, pursuant to section 105 of the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 331), it has been found necessary and proper in the public interest and in order to prevent possible injustice, to vary the composition of the Advisory Committee:

By having its membership and representation conform to the provisions of section 7(b) of the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act, and

By increasing its membership to 15 members as permitted under the aforementioned section 7(b).

Greater membership and greater representation serve the public interest and avoids possible injustice by permitting for the most part the use of one advisory committee, rather than possibly several advisory committees, in situations where both the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act may be expected to apply to construction activity and by affording a greater opportunity for representation on the Advisory Committee within the construction industry.

See paragraph (c) of § 1912.5 regarding the general policy role of the Advisory Committee.

Except as provided in paragraphs (f) through (j) of this section, each member of the Advisory Committee shall serve for a period of 2 years. Appointment of a member to the Committee for a fixed time period shall not affect the authority of the Secretary to remove, in his or her discretion, any member at any time. If a member resigns or is removed before his or her term expires, the Secretary of Labor may appoint for the remainder of the unexpired term a new member who shall represent the same interest as his or her predecessor.

The designee of the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare shall have no fixed term.

To provide for continuity in the membership of the Committee, the terms of the members may be appropriately staggered.

Members may be appointed to successive terms.

A member who is otherwise qualified may continue to serve until a successor is appointed.

There shall be filed on behalf of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health, an advisory committee established by the Construction Safety Act, a charter in accordance with section 9(c) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act upon the expiration of each successive 2-year period following the date of enactment of the Construction Safety Act (i.e., August 9, 1969).