[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 5]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1903.1]

[Page 27]
 
                             TITLE 29--LABOR
 
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                                OF LABOR
 
PART 1903--INSPECTIONS, CITATIONS AND PROPOSED PENALTIES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1903.1  Purpose and scope.

    The Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (84 
Stat. 1590 et seq., 29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) requires, in part, that every 
employer covered under the Act furnish to his employees employment and a 
place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are 
causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his 
employees. The Act also requires that employers comply with occupational 
safety and health standards promulgated under the Act, and that 
employees comply with standards, rules, regulations and orders issued 
under the Act which are applicable to their own actions and conduct. The 
Act authorizes the Department of Labor to conduct inspections, and to 
issue citations and proposed penalties for alleged violations. The Act, 
under section 20(b), also authorizes the Secretary of Health, Education, 
and Welfare to conduct inspections and to question employers and 
employees in connection with research and other related activities. The 
Act contains provisions for adjudication of violations, periods 
prescribed for the abatement of violations, and proposed penalties by 
the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, if contested by an 
employer or by an employee or authorized representative of employees, 
and for judicial review. The purpose of this part 1903 is to prescribe 
rules and to set forth general policies for enforcement of the 
inspection, citation, and proposed penalty provisions of the Act. In 
situations where this part 1903 sets forth general enforcement policies 
rather than substantive or procedural rules, such policies may be 
modified in specific circumstances where the Secretary or his designee 
determines that an alternative course of action would better serve the 
objectives of the Act.