Getting Started
To begin searching within the
Government Manual simply type
in a keyword
or phrase
to find your match.
The United States Government Manual
Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission
1120 Twentieth Street NW., Washington, DC 20036-3457
202-606-5100
202-418-3017
http://www.oshrc.gov
COMMISSIONERS
| CHAIR | Cynthia L. Attwood |
| Amanda W. Laihow | |
| (vacancy) |
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | Debra A. Hall |
| Chief Administrative Law Judge | Covette Rooney |
| Executive Secretary | John X. Cerveny |
| General Counsel | Nadine N. Mancini |
The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission ensures the timely and fair resolution of cases involving the alleged exposure of American workers to unsafe or unhealthy working conditions.
The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission is an independent, quasi-judicial agency established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 651-678).
The Commission rules on cases when disagreements arise over the results of safety and health inspections performed by the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Employers have the right to dispute alleged job safety or health violations that OSHA inspectors find, the penalties that OSHA proposes, and the time given to correct a hazardous situation.
The Commission posts it organizational chart online in Portable Document Format (PDF) for viewing and downloading.
https://www.oshrc.gov/assets/1/6/Org_Chart_May_12,__2021.pdfThe Occupational Safety and Health Act covers virtually every employer in the country. Its purpose is to reduce employment-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths of working men and women in the United States. It requires employers to provide a work environment free from recognized hazards that cause or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to their employees. It also requires employers to comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under the act.
http://www.oshrc.gov/about/how-oshrc.htmlActivities
The Commission adjudicates enforcement actions initiated under the act when they are contested by employers, employees, or representatives of employees. A case arises when a citation, issued to an employer as the result of an OSHA inspection, is contested within 15 working days of receipt of the report.
There are two levels of adjudication within the Commission. All cases are first assigned to an administrative law judge. A hearing is generally held in the community or as close as possible to where the alleged violation occurred. After the hearing, the judge issues a decision based on findings of fact and conclusions of law.
A substantial number of these decisions become final orders of the Commission. Commission members, however, will issue the final order if a party petitions the Commission members for review of the judge's decision and the petition is granted.
After a final order is issued, any party to the case may seek a review of the decision in the U.S. courts of appeals.
The Commission's principal office is in Washington, DC. Administrative law judges are also located in the Atlanta and Denver regional offices.
Sources of Information
Career Opportunities
Vacancy announcements are posted online.
http://www.oshrc.gov/job_opportunities/job_opport.htmlDecisions
The "Decisions" page contains two online search tools, one for the final decisions of administrative law judges and the other for the final decisions of the Commission. The administrative law judge decisions start with the year 1993, and the Commission decisions start with the year 1972. Decisions are available in the form of Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Portable Document Format (PDF) files.
http://www.oshrc.gov/decisions/index.htmlFreedom of Information Act (FOIA)
The FOIA requires Federal agencies to disclose records after receiving a proper written request for them. Certain records, however, are shielded from disclosure by provisions contained within the statute. The Commission's online FOIA information includes the specific procedures for requesting its records, FOIA-related contact information, and links to records that are already accessible online. The Commission operates a FOIA requester service center that can provide information on the status of a submitted request. Phone, 202-606-5724. Fax, 202-606-5417.
http://www.oshrc.gov/foia/index.htmlFrequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Commission posts answers to FAQs on its Web site.
http://www.oshrc.gov/FAQ/index.htmlNews
The Commission posts press releases on its Web site.
http://www.oshrc.gov/press/press.htmlOpen Government
The Commission supports the Open Government initiative by promoting the principles of collaboration, participation, and transparency.
http://www.oshrc.gov/open.html | Email: opengov@oshrc.govPlain Language
The Plain Writing Act of 2010 requires all Federal agencies to write in a way that produces "clear Government communication that the public can understand and use." The Commission solicits public assistance in support of plain language: If a document or Web page is unclear, contact the Commission by email and point out the lack of clarity. The Commission seeks to ensure that any document that is necessary for obtaining services, that provides information on services, or that explains how to comply with a requirement that the Commission administers or enforces is plainly written.
http://www.oshrc.gov/open/plain_writing.html | Email: plain@oshrc.govPublicaciónes en Español
Publications in Spanish are available online. Phone, 202-606-5400.
http://www.oshrc.gov/publications/publications_spanish.htmlPublications
The Commission's publications are accessible online. Copies of them and decisions are also available from the Office of the Executive Secretary. Phone, 202-606-5400. Fax, 202-606-5050.
http://www.oshrc.gov/publications/index.htmlRelated Sites
The Commission posts helpful and informative links to State Internet and other research sites. The Commission is not affiliated with the organizations whose links are on its "Related Web Sites" page.
http://www.oshrc.gov/relatedsites/relatedsites.htmlFor further information, contact the Office of the Executive Director, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, 1120 Twentieth Street NW., Washington, DC 20036-3457. Phone, 202-606-5100. Fax, 202-418-3017.