OSHA renewing NACOSH’s charter

Washington — Reviving another dormant advisory committee, OSHA has reinstated the two-year charter for the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. The agency announced the charter renewal in an Oct. 11 Federal Register notice.

Only one of OSHA’s three current committees has met since 2016: The Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health met in June 2017. NACOSH has not convened since Nov. 15, 2016. The terms for half of NACOSH’s 12 members have expired, and the others expire at the end of this year.

A coalition of 42 organizations sent a letter to Secretary of Labor R. Alexander Acosta in April to express its concern over extended lapses in meetings and unfilled vacancies on the committees. In September, OSHA announced it was accepting nominations for ACCSH.

The Federal Register notice states that the new NACOSH charter “includes updates of the procedures for appointment of individuals to the Department of Labor advisory committees.”

DOL has not renewed 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 states that WPAC is “being replaced with more targeted stakeholder meetings,” and that FACOSH was not renewed by Executive Order 13811.