OSHA Trade Release
Aug. 24, 2015
Contact: Office of Communications
Phone: 202-693-1999
Initial meeting set for Emergency Response and Preparedness
Subcommittee of the National Advisory Committee on
Occupational Safety and Health
WASHINGTON - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will hold the inaugural meeting of the Emergency Response and Preparedness Subcommittee of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) on Sept. 9, 2015, in Washington, D.C.
The subcommittee was established to help NACOSH respond to OSHA's request for advice and recommendations for a proposed rule on emergency response and preparedness. Subcommittee members have extensive knowledge and experience in the field. Over the next 12 to 18 months, the subcommittee will develop recommendations and regulatory text for a proposed rule and submit them to NACOSH for consideration. After deliberations, NACOSH will submit its recommendations and proposed regulatory text to the Secretary of Labor.
The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Room N-4437, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, DC. Those interested in attending, submitting comments or making an oral presentation, or needing special accommodations to attend , should contact Bill Hamilton at Hamilton.bill@dol.gov, 202-693-2077(phone), or 202-693-1663 (FAX), by Sept. 2, 2015.
To initiate and facilitate subcommittee discussions, OSHA will provide preliminary draft regulatory language for use as a reference. The tentative agenda includes an overview of that draft language, and a review and discussion of potential sections of a proposed rule, such as scope and employers' duties.
Future meetings will focus on other potential elements of a proposed rule, such as employee participation, facility and equipment preparedness, vehicle preparedness and operation, pre-incident planning, emergency incident standard operating procedures, post-incident analysis, and program evaluation.
NACOSH was established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to advise and make recommendations to the secretaries of labor, and health and human services on occupational safety and health programs, and policies and matters relating to the administration of the OSH Act.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
###
U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The department's Reasonable Accommodation Resource Center converts departmental information and documents into alternative formats, which include Braille and large print. For alternative format requests, please contact the department at (202) 693-7828 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (federal relay).