OSHA renews charter for construction advisory committee

Washington — OSHA has renewed the two-year charter for its Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health.

The agency published the charter renewal in the Federal Register on Nov. 19, three days after the deadline to nominate new ACCSH members. OSHA called for ACCSH nominees in the Sept. 17 Federal Register.

The 15-person committee advises the assistant secretary of labor on construction standards and policy matters. Members are appointed by the secretary of labor and serve staggered two-year terms. Five members represent construction employers and five represent construction employees. The other third of the committee breaks down as follows:

• Two members from state safety and health agencies.
• Two public members, “qualified by knowledge and experience to make a useful contribution to the work of ACCSH.”
• One representative selected by the secretary of health and human services. (The only position in which a new committee member will not be appointed.)

ACCSH has not met since June 20, 2017, according to OSHA’s website.

In a letter dated April 24, a group of 42 organizations concerned about “recent reports that the Department of Labor is stalling, disbanding and allowing the lapse of several critical federal advisory committees” called on Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta to fill vacancies on five committees, including ACCSH.

In October, OSHA renewed the charter for the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health and sought nominees to fill that committee. That same month, the agency also announced it was seeking nominations for its Maritime Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health.

DOL chose not to renew the charters for the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health and the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee. In its fiscal year 2019 budget request, OSHA stated that WPAC was “being replaced with more targeted stakeholder meetings,” and that FACOSH was not renewed by Executive Order 13811.