Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission 

Plain Writing Act Compliance Report 

April 11, 2014 

I.	 Senior Agency Official for Plain Writing: 

Richard Huberman, Chief of Staff and Legal Counsel to Chairman 

Plain Writing Contact: 

John Cerveny, Acting Executive Secretary 

Contact Information: 

plain@oshrc.gov 

II.	 Explain what specific types of agency communications have you released by 

making them available in a format that is consistent with the Plain Writing 

guidelines. 

Type of communications of 

document or posting. List how this 

is made available to the public 

Who is the intended user and approximate 

number of potential users 

What has changed by using Plain 

Writing 

Guide to Review Commission 

Procedures 

Available on OSHRC Website 

Employers who may or may not be represented by 

legal counsel 

The documents are clearer and 

more self-explanatory 

Guide to Simplified Procedures 

Available on OSHRC Website 

Employers who may or may not be represented by 

legal counsel 

Employee Guide to Review 

Commission Procedures 

Available on OSHRC Website 

Employees who wish to participate in a Commission 

proceeding or who are contesting a proposed 

abatement period 

The Freedom of Information Act 

Reference Guide 

Available on OSHRC Website 

Anyone who is interested in submitting a FOIA 

request to the Commission 

Press Releases 

Available on OSHRC Website 

Anyone who is interested in Commission news and 

events 

Proposed Information Collection 

on the Settlement Part program 

Published in the Federal Register 

Anyone who is interested in commenting on the 

survey of Settlement Part program participants 

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Type of communications of 

document or posting. List how this 

is made available to the public 

Who is the intended user and approximate 

number of potential users 

What has changed by using Plain 

Writing 

Commission Briefing Notices 

Available on OSHRC Website 

Anyone who is interested in the issues in cases at the 

Review Commission level 

The documents are clearer and 

more self-explanatory 

Request for Public Comment on a 

Review Level Alternative Dispute 

Resolution Program 

Published in the Federal Register 

Anyone who is interested in commenting on the 

creation of a review level alternative dispute 

resolution program 

Commission Subpoenas 

Issued as necessary by Commission 

Administrative Law Judges 

Anyone who is requested to testify or provide 

evidence at Commission hearings 

III. Inform agency staff of Plain Writing Act’s requirements: 

On June 24, 2011, the Senior Agency Official for Plain Writing informed all Commission 

personnel by e-mail of the Plain Writing Act and its requirements. The email included links to 

various plain writing resources, including material posted on the Commission’s intranet. 

IV. Training 

 Since the last Plain Writing Act Compliance Report was published on April 12, 2013, the 

Review Commission provided the following training: 

Type of Training Employees trained Date 

Webinars and Online training 

provided by 

plainlanguage.gov and hosted 

on the Commission’s intranet. 

Available to all Commission 

employees 

Ongoing 

Judicial Writing One employee July 8-11, 2013 

Technical Writing One employee September 4-6, 2013 

Legal and Judicial Writing 

Workshop 

All Commission attorneys 

and legal support staff 

September 19, 2013 

V. Ongoing compliance/sustaining change 

The Commission will stay in compliance with the Act by incorporating plain 

language considerations in all documents that the Commission issues to the public. 

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Most recently, the agency has modified the subpoenas issued by its Administrative 

Law Judges to make the forms simpler and more self-explanatory. 

VI.	 Agency’s plain writing website 

a. Website address: http://www.oshrc.gov/open/plain_writing.html 

b. Implementation of the Act: 

The Commission will be using plain writing in any updates to documents most 

often read by the general public, such as our Guide to Review Commission 

Procedures, Guide to Simplified Proceedings, Employee Guide to Review 

Commission Procedures, The Freedom of Information Act Reference Guide, 

Commission announcements and notices. 

c.	 Link to Compliance reports: Compliance reports will be available on the 

Commission’s Plain Writing website: 

(http://www.oshrc.gov/open/plain_writing.html). 

d.	 More information on Plain Writing may be obtained at the Plain Language 

website (http://www.plainlanguage.gov). 

VII.	 Customer Satisfaction Evaluation after Experiencing Plain Writing 

Communications 

The Commission set up an e-mail address (plain@oshrc.gov) through which the 

public may contact us to let us know if they have trouble understanding our 

documents or the pages on our website. The Commission will monitor that e-mail 

address and will take appropriate action on all correspondence received. 

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