Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2003/07/23/03-18719/partial-withdrawal-of-approval-of-the-virgin-islands-state-plan-resumption-of-exclusive-federal
Timestamp: 2018-02-25 16:27:31
Document Index: 88914470

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1902', 'art 1952', 'art 1956', 'art 1956', 'art 1956', 'arts 1952', '§\u20091956', '§\u20091956', '§\u20091956', '§\u20091956', '§\u20091956']

Federal Register :: Partial Withdrawal of Approval of the Virgin Islands State Plan; Resumption of Exclusive Federal Enforcement Authority in the Private Sector; and Conversion and Approval of the Virgin Islands State Plan to a State Plan for Public Employees Only
A Rule by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on 07/23/2003
43457-43461 (5 pages)
Subpart S—[Removed and Reserved]
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-18719 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/03-18719
This action amends the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to reflect the withdrawal of approval by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States Virgin Islands' (the “Virgin Islands”) comprehensive State plan covering both private and public sector employers and employees, and the conversion and approval of a public employee State plan, covering employers and employees of the Territory and its political subdivisions only. This action is taken as the result of unique structural and performance issues in the Virgin Islands and with mutual agreement. Federal OSHA will now exercise exclusive jurisdiction over all private sector employers and employees in the Virgin Islands. In addition to public employee coverage, the Territory will provide expanded on-site consultation services to the private sector in the U.S. Virgin Islands pursuant to a new cooperative agreement with OSHA as authorized by Section 21(d) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
Barbara Bryant, Director, Office of State Programs, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-3700, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Telephone (202) 693-2200, Fax (202) 693-1671, E-mail: Bryant.Barbara@dol.gov.
Section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the OSH Act), 29 U.S.C. 667, provides the basis for States to assume responsibility for the development and enforcement of occupational safety and health standards by submitting to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (“Assistant Secretary”), and obtaining Federal approval of, a State plan. Under regulations at 29 CFR part 1902 and 1956 respectively, there are two types of State plans which a State may operate: a comprehensive “State plan” covering both private and public (State, or Territory, and its political subdivisions) employees; or a “State plan for public employees only.” Start Printed Page 43458
Section 3(7) of the OSH Act makes several U.S. Territories and possessions including the U.S. Virgin Islands eligible to submit State plans under Section 18. The United States Virgin Islands (“Virgin Islands”) State plan received initial approval for its comprehensive State plan on September 11, 1973 (38 FR 24896). A description of the plan and Federal OSHA approval was codified in the Code of Federal Regulations at 29 CFR part 1952, subpart S. The Virgin Islands Department of Labor, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (VIDOSH) was designated as the State agency with responsibility for administering the State plan, and operations under the plan commenced at the time of initial plan approval in 1973. The Virgin Islands State plan covered all issues of occupational safety in private and public sector workplaces located within the Virgin Islands. Although in the public sector the State plan covered occupational health as well as safety, in the private sector the State plan did not exercise enforcement authority over occupational health issues; enforcement of health standards and other health-related requirements in the Virgin Islands with regard to private sector employment remained a Federal OSHA responsibility.
The Virgin Islands State plan successfully completed all of its State plan developmental steps and was certified as structurally complete on September 22, 1981. Pursuant to Section 18(e) of the OSH Act and procedures at 29 CFR 1902, OSHA determined that the Virgin Islands program met all requirements and, in actual operation, was “at least as effective” as the Federal program, granted the Virgin Islands State plan final approval, and relinquished Federal enforcement authority effective April 17, 1984 (49 FR 16766). However, on November 13, 1995, OSHA announced that, as a result of its monitoring, it had found that the Virgin Islands State plan, was no longer “at least as effective as” Federal OSHA and that other 18(e) requirements were no longer being met. In response to this finding, the Virgin Islands Commissioner of Labor agreed to voluntarily relinquish the State plan's final approval status under Section 18(e), to the reassertion of concurrent Federal OSHA enforcement authority and jurisdiction, and to undertake necessary corrective action to regain final approval status (60 FR 56950).
The Virgin Islands' decision to retain its existing State plan in the public sector is being implemented by adding a new subpart H to 29 CFR part 1956, which reflects the new status of the Virgin Islands plan as a public sector only plan. The new subpart codifies the Virgin Islands plan as a developmental plan under 29 CFR part 1956, as it will be necessary for the Territory to make certain adjustments to its public employee program structure and to revise its State plan document to reflect its new, more limited scope. The State plan already meets the majority of the criteria for public sector State plans in 29 CFR 1956.10 and the indices of effectiveness in 29 CFR part 1956.11. Start Printed Page 43459However, to provide a procedure for documenting how it meets those requirements, the Virgin Islands has submitted a developmental schedule for making the necessary adjustments to the State plan to reflect its change in scope, including the amendment and/or revision of Territorial legislation to provide more explicit authority for the public employee program, State plan narrative, implementing regulations and administrative procedures including revisions to its standards adoption procedures, and the development of a public employee only consultation program, strategic plan, and poster.
This final rule contains no collections of information other than those already imposed by State plan regulations which have been previously reviewed and approved by the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”), and assigned OMB control number 1218-0247 under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13). The OMB approval of these collections of information contained in these regulations expires November 30, 2005.
The procedures in 29 CFR parts 1952, 1955 and 1956 for submission, initial approval and withdrawal of OSHA-approved State plans apply only to States and Territories which have voluntarily submitted a State plan for OSHA approval under the OSH Act, and accordingly these procedures do not meet the definition of a “Federal intergovernmental mandate” under section 421(5) of UMRA (2 U.S.C. 658(5)).
Executive Order 13132, “Federalism,” (64 FR 43255; Aug. 4, 1999) establishes fundamental Federalism criteria to be applied in formulating and implementing Federal policies, and requires agencies to consult with affected State, Territorial and local officials in the development of regulatory policies. Although OSHA has determined that the requirements and consultation procedures provided in Executive Order 13132 are not applicable to plan approval decisions under the Act, which have no effect outside the particular State or Territory receiving approval, OSHA has reviewed this action and believes it is consistent with the principles and criteria set forth in the Executive Order. This rule was developed in coordination with representatives from the U.S. Virgin Islands, and opportunities for additional State input have been afforded through consultation with the Occupational Safety and Health State Plan Association (OSHSPA), the organization of State agencies which administer Federally-approved plans.
This document was prepared under the direction of John L. Henshaw, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. It is issued under Section 18 of the Start Printed Page 43460Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29 U.S.C. 667), 29 CFR 1902, 1952, 1955, and 1956, and Secretary of Labor's Order 5-2002 (67 FR 65008, October 22, 2002).
Changes to approved plan. [Reserved.]
Determination of operational effectiveness. [Reserved.]
§ 1956.70
(a) The Virgin Islands State plan was converted to a public employee only occupational safety and health program on July 1, 2003, and received initial approval on July 23, 2003. It is administered and enforced by the Virgin Islands Department of Labor, Division of Occupational Safety and Health (“the agency,” or “VIDOSH”) throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands (the “Virgin Islands”). The Virgin Islands public employee program, established by Executive Order 200-76 on July 11, 1975, extends full authority under Virgin Islands Act No. 3421, Section 16 (April 27, 1973) and implementing regulations to the agency to enforce and administer all laws and rules protecting the safety and health of employees of the Government of the Virgin Islands, its departments, agencies and instrumentalities, including any political subdivisions. It covers all activities of public employers and employees and places of public employment. The Territory has adopted all Federal standards promulgated as of June 2003, and has given assurances that it will continue to adopt and update all Federal standards, revisions and amendments. The plan is accompanied by a statement of the Governor's support.
The Virgin Islands' received initial approval for a comprehensive State plan covering the private (safety only) and public sectors on September 11, 1973 (38 FR 24896) and final approval under Section 18(e) of the Act on April 17, 1984 (49 FR 16766). Final approval status for that State plan was suspended and full Federal concurrent enforcement authority was reinstated on November 13, 1995 (60 FR 56950). Effective July 1, 2003, the Virgin Islands withdrew the portion of its State plan which covered private sector employment, and exclusive Federal enforcement jurisdiction for the private sector resumed.
§ 1956.71
(a) The Virgin Islands will review and amend its legislation and regulations, as appropriate, to assure proper statutory authority for “at least as effective” coverage of all public sector employers and employees including Territorial government employers and employees and any employers or employees of municipalities or other local governmental entities. The plan will be revised to include a legal opinion that the converted plan meets the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and is consistent with the laws of the Virgin Islands. These actions will occur within one year of plan conversion approval.
(f) A new State poster will be developed and distributed to reflect Start Printed Page 43461coverage of the public sector only within one year of plan conversion approval.
§ 1956.72
§ 1956.73
§ 1956.74