United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2000-10-26 monographic deposited born digital 66 p. GA 1.13:GAO-01-62 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-62 P0b002ee1803a4259 f:d0162 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-62 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-62 GAO-01-62 Occupational safety Interagency relations Redundancy Occupational health standards Hazardous substances Accident prevention Safety regulation Agency missions OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response EPA Risk Management Program Letter Report

Work places that produce, use, store, or dispose of hazardous materials are often considered to be among the nation's most dangerous. Workers at such facilities face the potential for injury, chronic illness, or death, which can be caused simply by exposure to certain materials. Several agencies, each with its own mission, method of operation, regulatory requirements, and organizational structure, play a role in protecting workplace safety and health. This may help ensure that all workers are adequately protected. This report summarizes GAO's findings on the coordination among the federal agencies trying to make the work place a safer environment. GAO found that the Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of the Treasury's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) play distinct roles in federal efforts to protect the safety and health of workers at hazardous materials work places. However, these agencies' functions partially overlap in a number of areas. These overlaps cause them to place make duplicate requirements on employers. Although there is a good effort on the part of the agencies, more coordination is needed to eliminate the overlaps. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-62/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-62.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-62/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-62.pdf GAO-01-62 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-01-62 Letter Report GAO-01-62; Worker Protection: Better Coordination Can Improve Safety; Occupational safety Interagency relations Redundancy Occupational health standards Hazardous substances Accident prevention Safety regulation Agency missions OSHA Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response EPA Risk Management Program Title 15 Section 2601et seq. 15 U.S.C. 2601et seq. Title 18 Section 841 Title 18 Section 841et seq. 18 U.S.C. 841 18 U.S.C. 841et seq. Title 29 Section 651et seq. Title 29 Section 667 Title 29 Section 672 29 U.S.C. 651et seq. 29 U.S.C. 667 29 U.S.C. 672 Title 33 Section 1251 33 U.S.C. 1251 Title 42 Section 11001et seq. Title 42 Section 6901et seq. Title 42 Section 9601et seq. 42 U.S.C. 11001et seq. 42 U.S.C. 6901et seq. 42 U.S.C. 9601et seq. Public Law 99-499 Public Law 101-549