§1341 Rights and protections under Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970; procedures for remedy of violations

Summary

Employing offices and covered employees must follow the workplace safety rule in section 5 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Definitions used here: "employer" means an employing office; "employee" means a covered employee (including Government Accountability Office employees); and "employing office" also includes the GAO and other listed entities that are responsible for fixing violations. If a violation is found, the remedy is an order to fix it, like the orders used under OSHA. The General Counsel, when asked in writing by an employing office or a covered employee, can inspect workplaces and issue citations or notices to the office that must fix a problem. If an office does not fix a violation, the General Counsel can file a complaint that goes to a hearing officer and then to the Board. An employing office can ask the Board for a variance from a standard. Board decisions can be reviewed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. If new money is needed to fix a violation, the work must be done as soon as possible but no later than the end of the fiscal year after the fiscal year when the citation was issued or the correction order became final. The Board must make regulations to carry out these rules, and the General Counsel must inspect certain congressional and related facilities at least once each Congress and report results, risks, and who must fix problems. Certain transition dates apply: January 23, 1995 to December 31, 1996 for planning and corrections, a required inspection before July 1, 1996 for the One Hundred Fourth Congress, and most rules take effect January 1, 1997 (with GAO and the Library of Congress following one year after a related study is sent to Congress).