The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) assures the safety and
health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards;
providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships;
and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and
health.
At the state and local level, the New York Department of Labor's
Public Employee Safety and Health Bureau (PESH) oversees workplace
protection of public employees. The PESH conducts inspections
of workplaces, equipment and work procedures to ensure that they
meet OSHA standards. Safety and Health Inspectors and Industrial
Hygienists also investigate complaints of discriminatory actions
taken against employees by their employers when related to safety
and health activities. Public employers violating PESH laws are
issued compliance orders and can be assessed civil penalties for
non-compliance.
PESH complaints can include but are not limited to complaints
about air quality, ventilation systems, chemical exposure, fire
hazards, defective equipment, job-related illnesses or injuries,
failure to provide training, failure to provide personal protective
equipment, etc.
New York state or local government employees or their official
representatives may file a complaint with the Public Employee
Safety and Health Bureau if they believe a violation of a safety
or health standard exists at their worksite. A link to the complaint
form appears below.
Please follow these instructions before filing a complaint:
- Make all efforts to resolve the problem
through your local and agency health and safety committees
within the labor/management process.
- Make sure the problem for which you
are filing is covered by an OSHA Standard, or can be addressed
under the General Duty Clause.
- Prepare the original PESH complaint
form and provide to your trustee or delegate. Your trustee
or delegate should forward the complaint to the General Counsel's
office. The PBA will file the complaint with the nearest PESH
office.
- Retain copies for your own records.
Click here
to view the PESH Complaint.
