Types of advisory committees

The Assistant Secretary establishes advisory committees to assist in standards-setting duties under section 7(b) of the Act. See 1912.2 for the statement that these committees are created to help with the development of standards.

A continuing committee is one the Assistant Secretary has established, or may establish from time to time, to help develop standards in areas where rulemaking happens frequently and using ad hoc committees would be impractical. See 1912.2(a) for this description.

An ad hoc committee is created to provide advice on a particular rulemaking proceeding rather than on an ongoing basis. See 1912.2(b) which states ad hoc committees are established to render advice in specific rulemaking proceedings.

The two types are continuing committees and ad hoc committees, as defined by the Assistant Secretary for use in standards development. See 1912.2 for the classification and brief definitions.

A continuing committee does not have to be permanently standing; it is a committee that has been or may be established from time to time to address areas of frequent rulemaking where ad hoc committees would be impractical. See 1912.2(a).

An ad hoc committee is intended to advise on a particular rulemaking proceeding, so it is generally established for that single proceeding rather than multiple unrelated rulemakings. See 1912.2(b).

Advisory committees provide advice to assist the Assistant Secretary in standards-setting; they do not themselves issue final OSHA standards. See 1912.2 which describes these committees as assisting in the development of standards.

The committees are established under section 7(b) of the Act to assist the Assistant Secretary in the standards-setting process. See 1912.2 which refers to section 7(b) as the authority for creating these committees.

OSHA uses a continuing committee for areas with frequent rulemaking where creating ad hoc committees repeatedly would be impractical, and uses ad hoc committees to advise on individual, particular rulemaking proceedings. See both 1912.2(a) and 1912.2(b).

Part 1912 is titled "Advisory Committees on Standards." See 1912 for the part number and title information.

Yes, continuing committees may be established from time to time as needed to assist with standards in areas of frequent rulemaking, so they can be created or reconstituted as needs change. See 1912.2(a) for this allowance.