Accessibility Skip to Top Navigation Skip to Main Content Home  |  Change Text Size  |  Contact IRS  |  About IRS  |  Site Map  |  Español  |  Help  

Part 1. Organization, Finance and Management

Chapter 14. Real Estate and Facilities Management

Section 5. Occupational Safety and Health Program

1.14.5  Occupational Safety and Health Program

1.14.5.1  (03-01-2006)
Scope

  1. The purpose of the IRS Occupational Safety and Health Program is to prevent the following incidents that impact employee well-being and/or result in financial loss:

    • injuries

    • illnesses

    • accidents

    • environmental failures

  2. The guiding principles of the IRS Safety and Health Program are to:

    1. Achieve a proactive and preventive safety and health culture that supports the IRS mission as it relates to tax administration.

    2. Instill uncompromising safety and health values that protect workers and promote work effectiveness.

    3. Ensure that all employees and managers comply with IRS safety and health rules, regulations, and policies.

  3. The Program is required to meet all mandated safety, health, and environmental rules and regulations established by federal agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), General Services Administration (GSA), and Department of the Treasury.

  4. The Program is required to meet applicable safety, health, and environmental rules and regulations established by state and local governments.

1.14.5.2  (03-01-2006)
Authority

  1. The Occupational Safety and Health Program is based on the following legal statues, Executive Orders, regulatory standards, and agency directives:

    1. Public Law 91-596, Occupational Safety and Health Act (12/70).

    2. Executive Order 12196, Occupational Safety and Health Programs for Federal Employees (10/80).

    3. 29 CFR 1910, OSHA Safety and Health Standards for General Industry.

    4. 29 CFR 1926, Safety and Health Standards for Construction.

    5. 29 CFR 1960, Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee OSHA Programs and Related Matters (10/80).

    6. 29 CFR 1960, Basic Program Elements for Federal Employee OSHA Programs and Related Matters; Subpart I for Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements, Final Rules (11/04).

    7. Treasury Directive 71-05 (8/02).

1.14.5.3  (03-01-2006)
Responsibilities

  1. The Director, Real Estate and Facilities Management (REFM), serves as the Designated Safety and Health Official (DSHO) and is responsible for management, administration, and evaluation of the IRS Safety and Health Program.

  2. Executives, managers, and supervisors are responsible for the safety of all personnel under their authority and for development of adequate occupational safety and health programs.

  3. The responsibilities of the National Safety and Health Program Office, REFM, are as follows:

    1. Plan, implement, and evaluate the National Safety and Health Program.

    2. Establish policies, procedures and directives for inspections, accident investigations, recordkeeping and reporting, marketing and communication, and training.

    3. Provide technical assistance and guidance to field safety and health program owners, safety and health stakeholders, and business units.

    4. Develop injury/illness and work hazard reports that provide the basis for implementing prevention initiatives.

  4. The responsibilities of the Area Directors (AD), REFM, are as follows:

    1. Establish occupational safety and health programs in their servicing areas.

    2. Ensure adequate staffing, funding, and resources to maintain the safety and health programs in their areas.

    3. Ensure that safety inspections are conducted in all areas and operations under their authority.

    4. Promote injury/illness prevention.

    5. Report serious accidents, injuries, illnesses and environmental incidents.

  5. The responsibilities of the Territory Managers (TM), REFM, are as follows:

    1. Manage the safety and health program in their servicing areas.

    2. Provide resources and organizational support for correcting safety hazards.

    3. Designate Safety Officers for all areas under their authority.

    4. Establish local safety guidelines recommended by Safety Officers or other personnel.

    5. Ensure that evaluations of safety and health programs in their servicing areas are conducted on annual basis.

  6. The responsibilities of the Strategy and Portfolio Managers (SPM), REFM, are as follows:

    1. Direct the safety and health programs within their servicing areas.

    2. Ensure the development of an annual program plan and budget that establishes safety and health objectives within their servicing areas.

    3. Facilitate the recruitment and assignment of Safety Inspectors for all areas and operations under their authority.

  7. The responsibilities of the Safety Officers are as follows:

    1. Implement the IRS Safety and Health Program in their servicing areas in accordance with established rules, regulations, and policies.

    2. Comply with safety and health recordkeeping and reporting requirements mandated by OSHA, EPA, and GSA.

    3. Conduct investigations of near misses, accidents, injuries, illnesses, and environmental incidents, and record findings and recommendations for corrective action in the Safety and Health Information Management System (SHIMS).

    4. Implement and coordinate safety inspections.

    5. Evaluate and take actions to control hazards identified by employees, through safety inspections or investigations.

    6. Conduct injury and hazard data analyses to identify job or facility hot spots, determine root causes, and implement effective actions.

    7. Market and communicate injury/illness prevention awareness and promote the visibility of the IRS Safety and Health Program.

    8. Serve as an advisor on safety and health issues to managers, employees, Safety Advisory Committees (SACs), Occupant Emergency Plan (OEP) Teams, and IRS Incident Commanders (i.e., the senior official on site).

  8. The responsibilities of the Senior Commissioner Representatives (SCR)/Site Coordinators (SC) are as follows:

    1. Advocate a proactive and preventive safety and health program within their jurisdiction.

    2. Establish and oversee the SACs within their jurisdiction in accordance with the provisions of Article 27, Section 4, of the National Agreement.

    3. Solicit safety inspectors and ensure that the appropriate number of them are in place at all offices within their areas.

    4. Notify all managers within a specific building when a hazard is reported at a serious or imminent danger level.

  9. The responsibilities of managers/supervisors are as follows:

    1. Implement effective safety and health practices and procedures accordance with applicable standards and guidelines.

    2. Ensure that employees under their supervision receive training in safe job practices.

    3. Maintain knowledge of potential hazards in employee work operations and physical surroundings and take corrective action when necessary.

    4. Ensure safe operation of equipment.

    5. Ensure that near misses, accidents, injuries, and illnesses are reported to the Employee Resource Center (ERC) and recorded in SHIMS.

    6. Cooperate with the servicing Safety Officer in conducting investigations and gathering information on near misses, accidents, injuries, and illnesses.

    7. Maintain a working knowledge of manager and supervisor responsibilities in the Safety and Health Program, as described in the Administrative Procedures Manual (APM) for Managers.

    8. Inform employees of safety policies, procedures, and guidelines, as well as those for responding in the event of a safety and health emergency.

    9. Champion the IRS prevention awareness campaign.

  10. The responsibilities of employees are as follows:

    1. Perform their official duties in a manner that does not harm themselves, their fellow employees, or the general public.

    2. Use all equipment in a safe manner.

    3. Comply with safety and health rules, policies, and procedures that are issued by the IRS Occupational Safety and Health Program.

    4. Encourage fellow employees to utilize safe work practices.

    5. Report safety hazards, injuries, illnesses, and unsafe behaviors in a timely manner to the ERC and to their immediate supervisors.

  11. The responsibilities of Safety Inspectors are as follows:

    1. Conduct semi-annual inspections as scheduled by the servicing Safety Officer.

    2. Invite local management and local National Treasure Employee Union (NTEU) representatives to participate in inspections.

    3. Conduct special focus inspections upon request (see 1.14.5.4.1,3).

    4. Identify and correct safety hazards on the spot at the time of the inspection, whenever possible.

    5. Report safety hazards that cannot be corrected on the spot to the ERC.

    6. Notify on-site managers of inspection results and hazards that are identified.

    7. Verify the resolution of hazardous conditions that are identified during inspections and document corrective actions.

    8. Input safety inspection reports into a national database.

    9. Assist with accident investigations when requested by a Safety Officer.

  12. The responsibilities of the National Labor-Management Relations Committee in relation to the Safety and Health Program are as follows:

    1. Monitor the performance of the Safety and Health Program.

    2. Recommend improvements to the Safety and Health Program.

    3. Offer policy recommendations to the Commissioner, Internal Revenue, on the operation of the Safety and Health Program.

    4. Review and make recommendations regarding Servicewide safety and health issues that SACs are unable to resolve and/or have Servicewide implications.

    5. Provide guidance to the SACs.

    6. Monitor and review the effectiveness of training and guidance materials for the SACs.

    7. Review progress in accident prevention and incident reduction.

  13. The responsibilities of the Safety Advisory Committees (SACs) are as follows:

    1. Organize and conduct their activities in accordance with Article 27, National Agreement(2002).

    2. Monitor and provide advice concerning work-related safety matters in the facility or facilities that each committee oversees.

    3. Recommend a safety and health annual plan for the facility or facilities that each committee oversees.

  14. The responsibilities of the Employee Resource Center (ERC) in relation to the Safety and Health Program are as follows:

    1. Receive calls and record information on hazards, accidents, and incidents.

    2. Forward safety and health corrective actions to local points of contact in a timely manner.

    3. Provide monthly summaries of reported hazards to the National Safety and Health Program Office.

  15. The responsibilities of the IRS Workers' Compensation Center (WCC) in relations to the Safety and Health Program are as follows:

    1. Provide information on accidents, injuries and illnesses to the Safety and Health Program so as to facilitate the conduct of investigations and the tracking of safety trends.

      Note:

      SeeWCChome page for more information regarding its responsibilities and functions.

1.14.5.4  (03-01-2006)
Prevention Program

  1. The IRS injury and illness Prevention Program consists of Inspections, Reporting Unsafe and Unhealthy Conditions, Prevention Awareness, and Training.

1.14.5.4.1  (03-01-2006)
Inspections

  1. The purpose of inspections is to provide a mechanism for ensuring that the IRS maintains a safe and healthy workplace environment that complies with safety and health practices, standards, and regulations.

  2. The inspection process identifies potential hazards that may cause injury, illness, imminent danger, or property damage, and verifies the resolution of the following hazardous conditions:

    1. A non-serious condition that could cause an accident but probably would not result in significant physical harm.

    2. A serious condition where there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result. The condition, though serious, can be corrected through normal enforcement procedures.

    3. A imminent danger where there is a reasonable certainty that a hazard exists that can cause death or serious physical harm immediately, or before the danger can be eliminated through normal enforcement procedures.

  3. Safety inspections are conducted semi-annually by April 1 and October 1 of each fiscal year.

  4. Special focus inspections are conducted as required to address specific needs in the following situations:

    1. A major shift of furniture or equipment.

    2. An office move.

    3. An accident or incident occurs.

    4. An installation of equipment that may contain or create a safety hazard.

    5. A known hazard.

    6. An increased risk of accident, injury, or illness due to the nature of the work performed or as indicated by local data analysis.

  5. Hazards identified during inspections that require resolution are submitted to the ERC by the Safety Inspector.

1.14.5.4.2  (03-01-2006)
Reporting Unsafe and Unhealthy Conditions

  1. It is the right and responsibility of all employees to report hazardous conditions that have the potential for causing injury, illness, or property damage.

  2. Examples of reportable hazardous conditions are as follows:

    1. An object obstructing a walkway.

    2. An icy parking lot.

    3. A frayed electrical cord.

    4. A wet floor.

    5. An elevator that does not stop even with the floor landing.

  3. Report unsafe and unhealthy conditions immediately to the supervisor in charge of the area in which they exist and to the ERC.

    Note:

    The ERC can be contacted as follows: Toll-free: 866-743-5748, TTY: 866-924-3578, Website: IRS - Employee Resource Center

  4. Employees may report unsafe and unhealthy conditions anonymously to their servicing Safety Officer. To contact your servicing Safety Officer go to Safety and Health Home Pageand click on the Safety Officer Contact List.

  5. No employee shall be subject to restraint, interference, coercion, discrimination, or reprisal as a result of filing a report of unsafe or unhealthy conditions or participating in other IRS Safety and Health Program activities.

1.14.5.4.3  (03-01-2006)
Prevention Awareness

  1. Prevention Awareness campaigns shall be conducted on national and local levels to achieve a proactive and preventive safety and health culture that controls hazards, reduces injuries and illnesses, and at the same time promotes work effectiveness.

  2. Prevention Awareness activities may be initiated by national and local Safety and Health Programs in coordination with Safety Officers, SACs, SCRs/SCs, and business unit representatives.

  3. Prevention Awareness activities may include:

    • Monthly flyer/posters

    • Newsletters

    • Safety fairs

    • Staff meeting discussions of safety issues

    • National Accident Prevention Week

1.14.5.4.4  (03-01-2006)
Training

  1. Senior staff, managers, and all employees must complete a mandatory safety and health briefing.

  2. New IRS employees must complete a mandatory safety and health briefing within 30 - 60 days of being hired.

  3. Managers must ensure that employees receive safety and health training that is specific to their job duties and responsibilities.

  4. Safety Inspectors must complete the on-line training for Safety Inspectors.

  5. Safety Officers must complete all training that is commensurate with the scope of their assigned responsibilities.

1.14.5.5  (03-01-2006)
Reporting Accidents, Injuries, Illnesses, and Environmental Incidents

  1. Report all accidents, injuries, illnesses, environmental incidents, and damage to government property as soon as possible to the on-site supervisor where the incident occurred and to the ERC.

    Note:

    The ERC can be contacted as follows:

    `

    Telephone: 866-743-5748

    TTY: 866-924-3578, or

    Website: IRS - Employee Resource Center

1.14.5.5.1  (03-01-2006)
Serious Accidents, Injuries, Illnesses, Environmental Incidents and other Events

  1. Federal law, guidelines, and regulation 29 CFR 1960 (Final Rules) and 29 CFR 1904 mandate that the IRS report serious incidents or catastrophes to OSHA.

  2. The IRS defines serious incidents and catastrophes as follows:

    1. Any occupationally-related fatal injury or illness of an IRS employee.

    2. A single accident or occupationally-related illness resulting in hospitalization of one or more IRS employees.

    3. An event resulting in business interruption of one full day or more.

    4. A fatality or five-day hospitalization of a non-IRS person when an IRS employee is involved, or an incident which occurred on property assigned to the IRS.

    5. Any event resulting in $10,000 or more of property damage repair or replacement costs to IRS-owned property or to other property if the incident involves any IRS operations or property assigned to the IRS.

  3. Report serious incidents, fatalities, catastrophes, and mishaps immediately as follows:

    1. The supervisor of the employee involved in the incident or other parties at the scene of the incident ensure that all appropriate first responders (e.g., police and fire departments) are immediately notified.

    2. The employee's supervisor or other parties at the scene of the incident must follow the local Occupant Emergency Plans (OEP).

    3. The employee's supervisor or other parties at the scene of the incident must follow Situation Awareness Management Center, http://awss.web.irs.gov/ess/SCR/scr_samc.html reporting procedures.

    4. The employee's supervisor or other appropriate parties report the incident to the servicing Safety Officer.

    5. The supervisor reports a fatality to the employee's servicing personnel office. Responsible officials must also make sure that any applicable labor-management agreement provisions are met.

    6. The Territory Manager, REFM, reports serious incidents immediately through the Area Director to the Director, REFM, by telephone.

    7. The Director, REFM, reports serious accidents and illnesses and catastrophes through the Department of Treasury to the Office of Federal Agency Programs, OSHA, within eight (8) hours of the incident.

  4. Provide the following summary information when reporting serious incidents and catastrophes:

    1. Location, date, and time of the event.

    2. Names(s) of the deceased or injured.

    3. Job title.

    4. Description of business operation.

    5. Extent of injuries or prognosis of the illness.

    6. Nature of the accident, injury, or illness.

    7. Applicable OSHA standards.

    8. Brief description of circumstances, consequences, and current status.

    9. Suspected cause of the incident.

    10. Corrective/preventive actions.

    11. Points of contact for further information.

1.14.5.5.2  (03-01-2006)
High Profile Incidents

  1. High Profile incidents may include:

    1. Unresolved indoor air quality cases or reports of "Sick Building Syndrome" or "Building Related Diseases."

    2. Suspected, alleged, or confirmed outbreaks of contagious diseases, such as reports of Legionnaires' Disease among employees.

    3. Disturbance of asbestos that could result in evacuation of IRS space, or chemical, toxic, or hazardous materials incidents that may require building evacuation, work site monitoring, medical surveillance, or clean-up advice.

  2. The Territory Managers, REFM, must report high profile incidents or other safety and health situations through the Area Directors to the Director, REFM, especially when the IRS requests assistance from other federal, state, or local agencies. Copies of such requests, and responses received, will be provided to the Director, REFM.

1.14.5.5.3  (03-01-2006)
Environmental Incidents

  1. Environmental incidents, such as the spill or airborne release of toxic substances and carcinogens, must be reported by the servicing Territory Manager's Office to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and appropriate state and local authorities when they result in:

    1. Hospitalization of one person (IRS employee or not).

    2. Accrued costs, including cleanup to the government in excess of $10,000.

    3. Evacuations or relocations of IRS occupants.

    4. Press coverage.

  2. Managers or employees at the scene of environmental incidents report spills, leaks, or the release of hazardous materials to the ERC and the servicing Safety Officer.

  3. Safety Officers report environmental incidents immediately by telephone, through the Territory Manager, REFM, and the Area Director, REFM, to the Director, REFM.

  4. Territory Managers provide a summary report through the Area Directors, REFM, by electronic mail or fax, to the Director, REFM, within 48 hours of the initial telephone notification.

1.14.5.5.4  (03-01-2006)
Fires

  1. Reportable fires are those that result in:

    1. Injury or hospital treatment of an IRS employee or a non-federal person.

    2. Losses greater than $10,000.

    3. Building interruption in excess of one workday.

    4. Failure of a building fire protection device to operate.

  2. Managers or employees at the scene report fires to the ERC and the servicing Safety Officer.

  3. Safety Officers report major fires immediately by telephone, through their Territory Managers and Area Directors, REFM, to the Director, REFM.

  4. Territory Managers provide a summary report, through their Area Directors, REFM, to the Director, REFM, within 48 hours of the initial notification. This report must include the following information:

    1. Approximate time, date, and location of the fire.

    2. Brief description of the fire, including suspected cause and origin.

    3. Fire department activities, such as how notified, time of their arrival at the scene, actions they took, and when they left.

    4. Description of fire protection systems in the building and what part they played detecting or suppressing the fire.

    5. Whether or not, and from what portion of the building, occupants were evacuated.

    6. Length of time and number of personnel displaced (unable to resume normal operations) as a result of the fire.

    7. Any injuries or deaths.

    8. Estimated total monetary loss.

    9. Estimated Agency share of the loss.

      Note:

      The information above can be obtained with the assistance of Mission Assurance and Security Services (MASS). Also, submit a copy of any fire report filed with or received from GSA.

1.14.5.5.5  (03-01-2006)
Motor Vehicle Accidents and Injuries

  1. Employees must report accidents that occur on official business in a government-owned vehicle (GOV) or personally-owned vehicle (POV) to their supervisor and the ERC immediately.

  2. To file a report, complete Standard Form (SF) 91, Motor Vehicle Accident Report, and forward it through the employee's supervisor with a police report, if available, to the servicing area Safety Officer within 48 hours.

  3. The Safety Officer must forward a copy of each SF 91, Motor Vehicle Accident Report to the IRS Claims Manager.

  4. The incident must be entered into SHIMS.

  5. If an employee is injured, follow the procedures for reporting an injury and filing a workers' compensation claim.

  6. A non-federal driver or passenger who is injured or has property damage and wishes to file a claim must be provided with Form 5646, Claim for Damage, Injury or Death (i.e., Tort Claim).

  7. Refer a non-federal driver or passenger to the servicing Safety Officer if additional information is needed.

1.14.5.5.6  (03-01-2006)
Reporting Injuries and Illnesses Involving Non-Federal Persons

  1. When a non-Federal person (e.g., visitor, contractor) is injured or ill the on-site supervisor reports the incident immediately by telephone to the ERC and the servicing area Safety Officer.

  2. The on-site supervisor completes Form 9154, Report of Occupational Injury, Illness, Accident or Unsafe Condition, and prints "NON-FED INJURY/ILLNESS " on top of the form.

  3. The supervisor sends Form 9154 to the servicing Safety Officer by fax or e-mail and then forwards the original.

  4. The Safety Officer notifies the National Safety and Health Staff by telephone.

  5. The Safety Officer forwards a copy of the incident report to the IRS National Office Claims Manager in those cases where the non-federal person is likely to file a claim.

1.14.5.6  (03-01-2006)
Workers' Compensation Claims and Tort Claims Guidance

  1. If an employee elects to file a claim, the supervisor follows instructions provided by on the ERC web page under the Workers' Compensation heading.

  2. A non-federal person (e.g., visitor, contractor) who is injured or has property damage and wishes to file a claim must be provided with Form 5646, Claim for Damage, Injury or Death (i.e., Tort Claim).

    Note:

    Basic instructions and forms used for processing Tort Claims at the IRS can be found at General Legal Services (GLS) Claims Management web/page, or contact the

    Note:

    Office of Associate Chief Counsel (General Legal Services)

    Note:

    950 L'Enfant Plaza, SW 2nd Floor

    Note:

    Washington, DC 20024

    Note:

    202-283-7908 (voice), 202-283-7979 (fax).

1.14.5.7  (03-01-2006)
OSHA Recordkeeping and Reporting of Employee Injuries/Illnesses and Incidents

  1. The servicing Safety Officer must complete an injury/illness incident report within seven calendar days after a work-related injury or illness has occurred.

  2. A record or log of all occupational injuries and illnesses must be maintained by the servicing area Safety Officer for each establishment or facility.

  3. An annual summary of injuries and illnesses must be completed for each facility by the servicing Safety Officer and posted in a visible location at that facility between February 1 and April 30 each year.

  4. The DSHO or designee (e.g., Territory Manager, REFM) must certify that the annual summary is correct.

1.14.5.8  (03-01-2006)
Investigations

  1. The servicing Safety Officer conducts an investigation of all accident, injuries, illnesses, environmental incidents and other events.

  2. The servicing Safety Officer is responsible for maintaining an official record of all investigations.

1.14.5.8.1  (03-01-2006)
Informal Investigations

  1. Most illnesses, injuries, environmental incidents, or fires will be subject only to informal investigations, such as:

    1. Injury or illness involving an IRS employee only while in duty status and acting within the scope of employment, with the cause of illness or injury clearly indicated (If there are any unresolved questions, a formal investigation may be requested.).

    2. Motor vehicle crashes causing damage solely to GOVs, unless the damage is greater than $5,000 and circumstances indicate a reasonable possibility of a claim for reimbursement against any non-federal person.

    3. All motor vehicle crashes causing damage solely to employee-owned vehicles being operated on a reimbursable basis while conducting IRS business, regardless of the amount of damage.

    4. Non-vehicle government property damage of less than $5,000 where circumstances indicate a possible claim against a non-federal person.

    5. Any fire involving or occurring on property under IRS jurisdiction resulting in less that $10,000 damage.

    6. Private, non-federal property damage is less than $5,000 as a result of IRS activities.

  2. The supervisor of the employee involved in the incident is responsible for cooperating with the Safety Officer in the conduct of an informal investigation.

  3. The servicing Safety Officer maintains official records of informal investigation results and recommendations.

1.14.5.8.2  (03-01-2006)
Formal Investigations

  1. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) performs formal investigations any time there is the likelihood that the IRS will be subject to Tort Claims filed by non-federal individuals.

  2. Formal investigations are conducted and reports are prepared under the following circumstances:

    1. A non-federal person suffers an injury, illness, or death as a result of IRS activities, unless the Area Director, REFM, with concurrence of Chief Counsel, General Legal Services (GLS), determines that a formal investigation is not warranted.

    2. A competent authority requests it.

      Example: The Director, REFM, asks TIGTA to perform a Tort Claim "scope of duty" investigation to determine whether an IRS driver was within the scope of his/her duties at the time of a crash from which a Tort Claim arose. Original requests may be made by telephone, but must be followed by a written memorandum.

  3. Formal investigations reports incorporate all reports, including Workers' Compensation forms, SF 91, Form 9154, ERC reports, and SHIMS generated reports completed by employees, supervisors, and servicing Safety Officer, as well as a detailed narrative statement prepared by the TIGTA investigator.

1.14.5.9  (03-01-2006)
Boards of Inquiry

  1. Boards of Inquiry are established to assure documentation of circumstances and to determine causes of all work-related illnesses or incidents including the following:

    1. Any occupationally-related fatal injury or illness of an IRS employee or contract employee.

    2. A single accident or occupationally-related illness resulting in the hospitalization of one (1) or more Agency employees.

    3. A fatality or five (5) day hospitalization of a non-IRS person where an IRS employee is involved or which occurred on property under IRS jurisdiction.

    4. Any event resulting in $100,000 or more of property damage, repair, or replacement cost.

  2. Boards of Inquiry have two fundamental objectives:

    1. Evaluating circumstances and environmental conditions cited as causes contributing to an injury, illness, or property damage.

    2. Making recommendations for corrective actions to prevent a recurrence of similar events.

1.14.5.9.1  (03-01-2006)
Convening a Board of Inquiry

  1. The Territory Manager, REFM, in the appropriate area calls for a Board of Inquiry for all cases cited in 1.14.5.9(1) (a-d).

  2. The Director, REFM, may request that a Board of Inquiry be convened when a thorough investigation and documentation of the facts and surrounding circumstances would significantly benefit the Safety and Health Program, the IRS Mission, or is in the best interests of the government.

1.14.5.9.2  (03-01-2006)
Board of Inquiry Members

  1. A Board of Inquiry requires at least the following members:

    1. Chairperson - Area Director, REFM, in the appropriate area.

    2. Senior staff or their representative from the employee's business unit or at the location of the incident under investigation.

    3. Senior staff or their representative associated with neither the employee business unit nor the area of the location of the incident under investigation.

    4. The Safety Officer representing the employee or the location of the incident under investigation.

  2. The convening official may appoint additional members in consultation with the Director, REFM, or as required by any existing agreements. Additional members may include the following:

    1. An advisory representative from the National Safety and Health Program Office.

    2. An employee organization representative, when bargaining unit employees are involved.

    3. An advisory representative of the Human Capital Organization, Personnel.

    4. Department of Labor (DOL) or GSA representatives, when they may have an interest or when their assistance can be beneficial.

      Note:

      GSA representatives must be included when damage to any property owned or leased from GSA is involved in the event being investigated.

1.14.5.10  (03-01-2006)
Program Review

  1. The Territory Manager, REFM, in each servicing area must conduct annual Safety and Health Program reviews.

  2. The National Safety and Health Program Office must conduct periodic reviews of field safety and health programs.

  3. The field reviews must include qualitative assessments of the extent to which programs are established in accordance with OSHA, Treasury, and IRS rules, requirements and policies, as well as other federal agency requirements.

  4. The program reviews must address the following elements:

    • Safety inspections

    • Accident investigations

    • Recordkeeping and reporting

    • Safety Advisory Committees

    • Accident/injury trend analysis

    • Marketing and communication

    • Training


More Internal Revenue Manual