MEMORANDUM FOR:	DESIGNATED AGENCY SAFETY AND HEALTH OFFICIALS & SAFETY
AND HEALTH MANAGERS

FROM:			EDWIN G. FOULKE, JR.

SUBJECT:	Field Federal Safety and Health Councils (FFSHCs)

FFSHCs are federal interagency groups chartered by the Secretary of
Labor to promote the advancement of occupational safety and health
throughout the federal government.  29 CFR 1960.88(b) states that
federal agency heads should encourage each field activity having
responsibility for the safety and health of agency employees to
participate in the activities of the FFSHCs.  These FFSHCs provide an
effective tool for bringing together safety and health personnel with
peers in their local geographical regions.  Occupational safety and
health training, access to experts, and opportunities for idea sharing
and problem solving are all offered by the FFSHCs during their meetings
and events.  

Annual reports submitted by the FFSHCs for Calendar Year 2006 reported
that maintaining agency participation in FFSHC activities was a major
challenge.  The reasons given for the lack of participation included:

FFSHC members were too busy with full-time jobs as occupational safety
and health personnel or collateral duty officials.

High turnover rates for collateral duty personnel resulted in lapses in
membership.

Management required that federal employees use personal time to attend
FFSHC meetings.

Agencies did not recognize the value of the FFSHCs.

Members retired and agencies did not appoint new representatives to
attend meetings.

FFSHCs are intended to engage in a variety of activities to support
improvements in federal workplace safety and health programs.  However,
without sufficient federal agency support they cannot function
effectively.  Therefore, I request your agency’s support in
encouraging your field staff to get actively involved in their local
FFSHCs.  

Attached is a form letter that can be used by your local federal
activity heads to appoint agency representatives to serve as members of
the FFSHCs.  The provisions outlined in 29 CFR 1960.88(c) require that
each FFSHC maintain an equal number of management and non-management
representatives from each participating federal establishment.  When
appointing new members, please ensure that this representational balance
is maintained.  

Also attached is a list of the active FFSHCs by OSHA region.  Please
contact the appropriate Regional Federal Agency Program Officer or FFSHC
Chairperson if you have questions about a specific FFSHC.  

Thank you for your assistance in encouraging federal employee
participation in the FFSHCs.  OSHA is working to expand our support, and
we look forward to seeing the enhanced results of our joint efforts.

Attachments  

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