Document ID: OSHA-2023-0008-0028
Agency: osha
Document Type: Proposed Rule
Title: Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process
Posted Date: 2023-10-16T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 198 (Monday, October 16, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 71329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22705]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

29 CFR Part 1903

[Docket No. OSHA-2023-0008]
RIN 1218-AD45

Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of public comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: On August 30, 2023, OSHA published a notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) titled ``Worker Walkaround Representative Designation 
Process.'' The period for submitting public comments is being extended 
by two weeks to allow stakeholders additional time to comment.

DATES: The comment period for the proposed rule published in the 
Federal Register on August 30, 2023 (88 FR 59825), is extended. Submit 
comments to the proposed rule and other information by November 13, 
2023.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted as follows:
    Written comments: You may submit comments and attachments 
electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the agency's name and 
docket number for this rulemaking (Docket No. OSHA-2023-0008). All 
comments, including any personal information you provide, are placed in 
the public docket without change and may be made available online at 
http://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, OSHA cautions commenters about 
submitting information that they do not want made available to the 
public or submitting materials that contain personal information 
(either about themselves or others), such as Social Security numbers 
and birthdates.
    Docket: To read or download comments or other information in the 
docket, go to Docket No. OSHA-2023-0008 at http://www.regulations.gov. 
All comments and submissions are listed in the http://www.regulations.gov index; however, some information (e.g., copyrighted 
material) is not publicly available to read or download through that 
website. All comments and submissions, including copyrighted material, 
are available for inspection through the OSHA Docket Office. Contact 
the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-2500 (TDY number 877-889-5627) for 
assistance in locating docket submissions.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    Press inquiries: Frank Meilinger, Director, OSHA Office of 
Communications, telephone: (202) 693-1999; email: 
[email protected].
    General and technical inquiries: Donald Klienback, OSHA Directorate 
of Construction, telephone: (202) 693-2020; email: 
[email protected].
    Copies of this Federal Register notice and news releases: 
Electronic copies of these documents are available at OSHA's web page 
at http://www.osha.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    On August 30, 2023, OSHA published a NPRM titled ``Worker 
Walkaround Representative Designation Process.'' (88 FR 59825). In the 
NPRM, OSHA proposed to amend its Representatives of Employers and 
Employees regulation to clarify that the representative(s) authorized 
by employees may be an employee of the employer or a third party; such 
third-party employee representative(s) may accompany the OSHA 
Compliance Safety and Health Officer (CSHO) when they are reasonably 
necessary to aid in the inspection. OSHA also proposed clarifications 
of the relevant knowledge, skills, or experience with hazards or 
conditions in the workplace or similar workplaces, or language skills 
of third-party representative(s) authorized by employees who may be 
reasonably necessary to the conduct of a CSHO's physical inspection of 
the workplace.
    The public comment period for this NPRM was to conclude on October 
30, 2023, 60 days after publication of the NPRM. However, OSHA received 
requests from stakeholders for a 60-day extension of the public comment 
period (Document ID 0015; 0018). OSHA agrees to an extension of the 
public comment period and believes that a two-week extension is 
sufficient and appropriate in order to balance the agency's need for 
timely input with the stakeholders' request. Accordingly, the comment 
period for this NPRM is being extended and will now conclude on 
November 13, 2023.

Authority and Signature

    Douglas L. Parker, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational 
Safety and Health, U.S. Department of Labor, authorized the preparation 
of this document pursuant to 29 U.S.C. 657; 5 U.S.C. 553; Secretary of 
Labor's Order 8-2020, 85 FR 58393 (2020).

    Signed at Washington, DC.
Douglas L. Parker,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2023-22705 Filed 10-13-23; 8:45 am]
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