An advisory committee may not take action or conduct business after January 5, 1973, until a committee charter has been filed as required. This filing requirement is set out in 1912.8(a) and applies to every advisory committee covered by the rule.
The charter must state the committee's official name or designation exactly as the committee will be known. The requirement for an official designation is listed in 1912.8(b)(1).
You must clearly describe what the committee will work on and the standards it will develop or advise on. The charter should explain the committee's objectives and scope of activity as required by 1912.8(b)(2).
The charter must state how long the committee needs to accomplish its mission—either a fixed period or an estimate. This time period requirement is specified in 1912.8(b)(3).
The charter must identify the agency official to whom the committee reports, for example the Assistant Secretary. Naming the reporting agency is required by 1912.8(b)(4).
The charter must identify which agency will provide administrative and staff support, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This support agency identification is required by 1912.8(b)(5).
The charter must include a clear description of the committee's duties—what tasks it will perform and any deliverables expected. The rule requires a duties description in 1912.8(b)(6).
The charter must state the estimated number of meetings and how often the committee is expected to meet. Meeting frequency and number are required by 1912.8(b)(7).
The charter must include an estimate of annual operating costs expressed in dollars and in man‑years (staff time). The requirement to provide both dollars and man‑years is set out in 1912.8(b)(8).
If the committee will end in less than two years, the charter must state its termination date or fixed period of termination. This requirement is described in 1912.8(b)(9), and you should also consult 1912.3(j) for special rules about the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health.
The charter must state the date it is filed with the Department of Labor's Committee Management Officer. Recording the filing date is required by 1912.8(b)(10).
Formal subgroups, such as a formal subcommittee, should have their required information included either in the parent committee's charter or in a separate charter for the subgroup. This guidance on applicability to subgroups is in 1912.8(c).
Informal subgroups, especially temporary ones, do not need to be expressly reflected in the charter. The rule explains this exception in 1912.8(c).
The Assistant Secretary is responsible for filing each charter with the Department's Committee Management Officer. This filing responsibility is specified in 1912.8(d).
Express the estimated staff effort as man‑years (for example, 0.5 man‑years or 2 man‑years) alongside the dollar estimate for annual operating costs. The requirement to give both dollars and man‑years is set out in 1912.8(b)(8).
Yes—information for a formal subcommittee may be set forth in the parent committee's charter instead of issuing a separate charter for the subgroup. This flexibility for formal subgroups is described in 1912.8(c).
State the expected period needed to accomplish the committee's work in the charter and, if that period is less than two years, include a specific termination date or fixed period of termination. These two requirements are found in 1912.8(b)(3) and 1912.8(b)(9), respectively.
Identify the agency official to whom the committee reports (for example, the Assistant Secretary) and note that the Assistant Secretary must file the charter with the Department's Committee Management Officer. These responsibilities are specified in 1912.8(b)(4) and 1912.8(d).
You should include each item listed in 1912.8(b). A simple checklist is: