New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 12 - LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT › Chapter 110 - OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PROCEDURAL STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES › Subchapter 4 - INSPECTIONS, ORDERS TO COMPLY, AND PENALTIES › Section 12:110-4.4 - Conduct of inspections

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Subject to the provisions at N.J.A.C. 12:110-4.3, inspections shall take place at such times and in such places of employment as the Commissioner, Commissioner of Health, or their designees, may direct.
(b) At the beginning of an inspection there shall be an opening conference where the Compliance Officer shall present his or her credentials to the employer, supervisor or employee in charge at the establishment or field site; explain the nature and purpose of the inspection; and indicate generally the scope of the inspection and the records specified in N.J.A.C. 12:110-4.2(c)  which he or she wishes to review.
(c) The employer shall furnish the Compliance Officer with the identity of the employee representative and with such other information as is necessary to enable the Compliance Officer promptly to inform such representative of the inspection. Where there is no authorized employee representative, the Compliance Officer shall advise a reasonable number of employees of the inspection.
(d) Employers, employees or employee representatives may request that a person(s) with specialized expertise accompany the compliance officer during an inspection. Such request shall not be unreasonably denied.
(e) A Compliance Officer shall have authority to take environmental samples and to take or obtain photographs related to the purpose of the inspection. The Compliance Officer shall employ other reasonable investigative techniques, such as personal dosimetry devices, and question privately any employer, owner, operator, agent or employee of an establishment.
(f) The inspection shall be conducted in such a manner as to preclude unreasonable disruption of the operations of the employer's establishment or field site.
(g) At the conclusion of an inspection, there shall be a closing conference. During the closing conference, the Compliance Officer shall confer with the employer or his representative and informally advise him of any apparent safety or health violations disclosed by the inspection. During such conference, the employer shall be afforded an opportunity to bring to the attention of the Compliance Officer any pertinent information regarding conditions in the workplace. The Compliance Officer shall advise the employee and employer of their respective rights related to the inspection.
(h) A complaining party and his or her employee representative shall have the opportunity to be present at and participate in all phases of the inspection from the opening conference through the closing conference. If the employer, the complaining party or the employee representative requests separate opening or closing conferences, or both, written summaries of these conferences shall be provided by the Compliance Officer to all parties affected.
(i) Whoever knowingly makes any false statements, representation or certification, verbally or in writing, in any application, record, report, plan or other document filed or required to be maintained pursuant to this chapter shall be liable for an administrative penalty pursuant to N.J.A.C. 12:110-4.11.