1.0 PURPOSE
This charter describes the function and role of the Department of Energy (DOE) Hoisting and Rigging Technical Advisory Committee (HRTAC). The HRTAC serves as an advisory body to the Office of Health, Safety and Security (EHSS) by providing support to their policy efforts aimed at ensuring the safe performance of hoisting and rigging activities at DOE facilities and in the review and resolution of identified generic hoisting and rigging safety issues. The HRTAC also serves as a Topical Committee to provide advice and support on hoisting and rigging issues to the DOE Technical Standards Program (TSP).
The Office of Worker Safety and Health Policy (AU-11) has the responsibility for developing and maintaining the DOE Hoisting and Rigging Standard, DOE-STD-1090, consolidating comments to national consensus standards bodies addressing hoisting and rigging, and providing comments to OSHA on any proposed rulemaking activity involving hoisting and rigging. The establishment of the HRTAC fosters an increased level of discussion and coordination on hoisting and rigging concerns and guidance among DOE program and field elements. In addition, the HRTAC will provide a mechanism to gain an operational perspective in the development of program guidance and in the resolution of program issues and will aid in ensuring uniform hoisting and rigging safety criteria and implementation throughout the DOE complex.
This HRTAC is established to provide the Office of Worker Safety and Health Policy (AU-11) with technical advice in the development and maintenance of policy and guidance documents supporting DOE's hoisting and rigging safety program. In fulfillment of this mission, the HRTAC will perform the following functions at the request of AU-11:
| 3.1 | Review, evaluate, and recommend actions necessary to ensure that the DOE Hoisting and Rigging Standard (DOE-STD-1090) remains current and is consistent with Departmental guidance and referenced source standards. |
| 3.2 | At the direction of AU-11, act as the Preparing Activity for draft technical standards addressing DOE Hoisting and Rigging activities. In this capacity, the committee will also provide assistance to AU-11 in local coordination of proposed standards. |
| 3.3 | Act in the capacity of a topical committee to the TSP Office for hoisting and rigging. It will practice and promote cooperation between other TSP technical committees in areas of common interest. |
| 3.4 | Participate with representatives of other topical committees and the TSP manager to establish guidance and protocols for topical committee operations under the TSP. |
| 3.5 | Interface with non-DOE standards development bodies (i.e, American National Standards Institute [ANSI], OSHA) in their work involving hoisting and rigging operations. Review and recommend a DOE-wide position on hoisting and rigging standards in development or under coordination. |
| 3.6 | Review and recommend solutions to generic hoisting and rigging safety issues arising from incidents, appraisals, assessments, and technical assistance reviews as directed by AU-11. |
| 3.7 |
Conduct special interest projects as directed by the AU-11. Typical projects may include: 3.7.2 Research and review available interpretations to assist in the resolution of hoisting and rigging safety-related issues; or 3.7.3 Research available literature and develop recommended solutions for DOE unique situations where little or no hoisting and rigging guidance is available. |
HRTAC shall perform the duties as a standing technical committee sponsored by AU-11.
The following principles will govern its operation:
| 4.1 |
Openness Participation in AU-11 policy, guidance and standards development process will be open to persons who are directly and materially affected by the activity in question. |
| 4.2 | Balance of Interests
Activities undertaken by the HRTAC will ensure representation of all categories of interest that relate to the subject matter. |
| 4.3 | Due Process
The process will ensure that any individual or organization within DOE who believes that an action or inaction of the HRTAC causes unreasonable hardship or potential harm is provided the opportunity to have a fair hearing of their concerns. |
| 4.4 | Reporting
The HRTAC will report on hoisting and rigging policy, guidance and standards-related activities to AU-11 on a frequency that is appropriate to the activity and consistent with program needs. |
| 5.1 |
Selection |
| 5.2 |
Tenure Membership is voluntary, and any member may resign from the HRTAC by notifying the chairperson in writing. Members who fail to attend three consecutive committee meetings will be automatically removed from the committee and will require renomination by their management to again participate on the committee. |
| 6.1 |
Chairperson The HRTAC chairperson will be selected by the Director of the Office of Worker Safety and Health Policy (AU-11). The chairperson's duties are to: 6.1.1 Convene and preside at HRTAC meetings; 6.1.2 Designate special tasks to HRTAC members and ad hoc subcommittees; 6.1.3 Review and amend its charter, as necessary. |
| 6.2 |
The HRTAC coordinator secretary will be appointed by the chairperson and perform the following duties: 6.3.1 Maintain a record of meeting attendance; 6.3.2 Record meeting minutes and provide them to committee members; 6.3.3 Handle HRTAC correspondence as directed by the chairperson; and 6.3.4 Preside at meetings in the absence of the chairperson. |
| 7.1 | Frequency
Regular meetings will be planned annually and will be formally called by the chairperson. Frequency of the meetings may be adjusted by the chairperson, based on current activities and/or needs.
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| 7.2 | Agenda
Agendas will be developed for each meeting based on input from the members, assignments from the chairperson, etc. Written notices of meetings and the agenda will be prepared and communicated to the HRTAC members in advance of the meeting. |
| 8.1 |
When proposed changes to the DOE Hoisting and Rigging Standard or other issues presented to the HRTAC at the regular meetings require action by the HRTAC, the chairperson may call a vote of members present to resolve these issues. The following guidelines will govern the voting process: 8.1.1 Three voting options will be given to the members present: AgreeDisagree (with or without comment) Abstain (with or without comment) 8.1.2 A count of the votes will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. If a member chooses to offer comments to accompany a vote of Disagree or Abstain, then the member's name and comments will be included in the minutes. 8.1.3 A simple majority approval of members present at the time of the vote is required for an issue to pass. |
| 8.2 | Letter Ballots |
| There may be occasions outside the regular meetings when the chairperson will seek input to changes to the DOE Hoisting and Rigging Standard or other issues presented to the HRTAC. A letter ballot process may be initiated to resolve these issues. The following guidelines will govern the letter ballot process:
8.2.1 Ballots will be sent by the coordinator to all members of the HRTAC. Four voting choices will be 8.2.2 Any member who fails to respond to a ballot by the established deadline will be counted as Abstaining. 8.2.3 First Ballot Consideration: One or more "Disagree" votes causes the ballot to fail, unless the "Disagree" vote(s) is changed to "Agree" during comment resolution. 8.2.4 Second Ballot Considerations: A simple majority approval of non-abstaining members is required for a second ballot to pass. 8.2.5 A summary of actions taken by letter ballot since the previous meeting will be presented at each meeting and included in the minutes of the meeting. |