Request for investigation; confidentiality; investigation by Division.
1. Any employee, representative of employees, provider of health care or governmental officer or employee whose primary duty is to ensure public safety, including a building inspector, building official or other similar authority, believing that a violation of a safety or health standard exists that threatens physical harm, or that an imminent danger exists, may request an investigation by giving notice, orally or in writing, to the Administrator or his representative of the violation or danger.
2. The person giving the notice must state with reasonable particularity the grounds for the notice. The name of any employee giving a complaint notice or names of employees mentioned in the complaint must be held confidential. If the complaint is given orally, the Division shall send to the complainant a form upon which he may supplement his oral complaint. His failure to return the form does not affect the Division’s duty to act pursuant to this section.
3. If upon receipt of the notification the Division determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation or imminent danger exists, it shall make a special investigation within 14 days unless there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from the violation or danger, then the investigation must be made immediately after the Administrator receives the notice to determine whether a violation or imminent danger exists. The Division need not investigate a complaint within the times required by this subsection if, from the facts stated in the complaint, the Administrator determines that the complaint is intended solely to harass the employer. If the Division determines that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that a violation or imminent danger exists, it shall notify the employees or other person who gave the notice of such determination within 14 days after the Administrator receives the notice.
Last modified: February 25, 2006