Document ID: OSHA-2012-0020-0001
Agency: osha
Document Type: Notice
Title: Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee; Establishment
Posted Date: 2012-05-17T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 96 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29368-29369]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11982]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration

[Docket Number: OSHA-2012-0020]

Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee (WPAC)

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

ACTION: Notice of establishment of the Whistleblower Protection 
Advisory Committee (WPAC).

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act, as amended (5. U.S.C., App. 2), the Secretary of Labor 
intends to establish the Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee 
(WPAC).
    The WPAC advises, consults with, and makes recommendations to the 
Secretary of Labor (Secretary) and the Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Occupational Safety and Health (Assistant Secretary) on ways to improve 
the fairness, efficiency, effectiveness and transparency of OSHA's 
whistleblower protection activities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For press inquiries: Mr. Francis 
Meilinger, OSHA, Office of Communications, Room N-3647, U.S. Department 
of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; Telephone: 
(202) 693-1999. This is not a toll-free number. Email: 
meilinger.francis2@dol.gov.
    For general information: Sandra Dillon, Director, Office of the 
Whistleblower Protection Program, Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3610, 200 Constitution 
Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20210; telephone (202) 693-2199. This is not 
a toll-free number. Email: dillon.sandra@dol.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: With this Federal Register notice, the 
Assistant Secretary notifies the public of the establishment of 
Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee (WPAC). WPAC's duties will 
be solely advisory and consultative. WPAC will advise, consult with, 
and make recommendations to the Secretary and the Assistant Secretary 
on ways to improve the fairness, efficiency, effectiveness, and 
transparency of OSHA's whistleblower protection activities. In 
particular, WPAC will make recommendations regarding the development 
and/or implementation of:
     Better customer service to both workers who raise 
complaints and employers who are the subject of investigations;
     Improvement in the investigative and enforcement process, 
and the training of OSHA investigators;
     Improvement of regulations governing OSHA investigations;
     Cooperative activities with federal agencies responsible 
for areas also covered by the whistleblower protection statutes 
enforced by OSHA; and
     Other matters concerning the fairness, efficiency and 
transparency of OSHA's whistleblower investigations as

[[Page 29369]]

identified by the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary.

Authority and Signature

    David Michaels, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Occupational Safety and Health, directed the preparation of this notice 
under the authority granted by the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C. App. 2), its implementing regulations (41 
CFR part 102-3), chapter 1600 of Department of Labor Management Series 
3 (Mar. 17, 2008), Secretary of Labor's Order 1-2012 (Jan. 18, 2012), 
77 FR 3912 (Jan. 25, 2012), and the Secretary of Labor's authority to 
administer the whistleblower provisions found in Section 11(c) of the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act, 29 U.S.C. 660(c); the Surface 
Transportation Assistance Act, 49 U.S.C. 31105; the Asbestos Hazard 
Emergency Response Act, 15 U.S.C. 2651; the International Safe 
Container Act, 46 U.S.C. 80507; the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 
300j-9(i); Federal Water Pollution Control Act, 33 U.S.C. 1367; the 
Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. 2622; the Solid Waste Disposal 
Act, 42 U.S.C. 6971; the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7622; the 
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 
42 U.S.C. 9610; the Energy Reorganization Act, 42 U.S.C. 5851; the 
Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st 
Century, 49 U.S.C. 42121; the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, 18 U.S.C. 1514A; the 
Pipeline Safety Improvement Act, 49 U.S.C. 60129; the Federal Railroad 
Safety Act, 49 U.S.C. 20109; the National Transit Systems Security Act, 
6 U.S.C. 1142; the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, 15 U.S.C. 
Sec.  2087; Section 1558 of the Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-
148; the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010, 12 U.S.C.A. 5567; 
the Seaman's Protection Act, 46 U.S.C. 2114; and Section 402 of the FDA 
Food Safety Modernization Act, Public Law 111-353.

    Signed at Washington, DC on May 14, 2012.
David Michaels,
Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 2012-11982 Filed 5-16-12; 8:45 am]
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