Portfolio 9-4th: Practice Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act

I. Overview of the Act

II. Promulgation and Scope of OSHA Standards; Variances from the Standards
A. The Original Standards
B. The Standard-Setting Process
C. Judicial Review of OSHA Standards
1. OSHA’s ergonomics standard
D. Scope of OSHA Standards
1. Exemptions
2. Multi-employer worksite doctrine
E. Variances from the Standards
1. Temporary variance
2. Permanent variance

III. Enforcement of OSHA Standards
A. Overview
1. Search warrants
a. Probable cause
b. Attacking a warrant
c. Use of evidence obtained by an invalid warrant
2. Administrative subpoenas
3. How an OSHA inspection is triggered
4. Inspections triggered by high-gravity cases
5. The elements of an OSHA inspection
6. Management's conduct during the inspection
7. Posting the citation
8. Categories of violations
a. Willful violations
(1). Criminal violations
b. ‘Egregious willful’ violations
c. Repeated violations
d. Serious violations
e. Nonserious violations
f. De minimis violations
g. Failure to abate
9. Contesting citations
10. Should the employer contest the citation?
B. Proceedings Before the Review Commission
1. Power of interpretation
2. Pleadings
3. Service of papers
4. Motions
5. Burden of proof
a. Elements of proof: general duty case
b. Elements of proof: OSHA standards
c. Employee exposure
6. Affirmative defenses
a. Defenses against the standard 200
b. Defenses arising because the act does not impose absolute liability
(1). Isolated occurrence or unforeseeable employee misconduct
(2). Infeasibility
(3). Greater hazard
(4). No control 224
c. Proof of feasibility when feasibility is not specifically part of the standard
7. Discovery
8. Hearings and rules of evidence
9. Amendment of citation
10. Expert witnesses
11. Post-hearing procedures
a. Review of the judge's decision
b. Interlocutory review
12. Settlement
13. Petitions to extend the abatement date
14. Appeals from Review Commission decisions
a. When and where to file
b. Review of factual questions
c. Review of legal questions

IV. Employee Rights Under the Act
. Introductory Material
A. Protected Activities Under §11(c)
B. Limited Right To Refuse To Perform Work
C. Procedures for Investigating Complaints
D. Enforcement
E. Employee Access to Records
F. Private Rights of Action

V. Recordkeeping and Notice

VI. The Hazard Communication Standard
A. Coverage of the Standard
1. The duties of the chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors
2. The duties of the employer
B. Trade Secret Protection
C. Conflicts with State and Local Laws
D. Other Problems Associated with Compliance
E. Enforcement
F. Federal Community Right-To-Know Act

VII. Criminal Prosecutions

VIII. Abatement Verification