REVIEW COMMISSION SEEKS COMMENTS FOR CHANGING RULES OF PROCEDURE

The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission seeks written comments from the public recommending changes to the Commission’s Rules of Procedure, Chairman W. Scott Railton announced recently. The rules may be found at 29 C.F.R. Part 2200 and on the agency website, https://www.oshrc.gov. The request for input will be published in the Federal Register on June 17, 2004.

Issues of particular interest for changes include the adoption of rules to implement electronic filing, service of documents, whether electronic filing should be mandatory, and if practice before the Review Commission should be restricted to lawyers, in-house company and union representatives.

Also under consideration are cases eligible for E-Z Trial. This is a streamlined case resolution method designed to make contesting a citation simpler, and less costly, for small employers and those appearing without attorneys. E-Z trial eliminates pleadings, discourages discovery, and requires the disclosure to employers of certain useful information concerning the inspection and citation.

Those proposing changes should provide a brief discussion of the reasons for the suggestions, why changes would facilitate improved practice before the Review Commission, and when necessary, a reference to authority.