Mission

The Office of Worker Safety and Health Enforcement implements the Department’s worker safety and health enforcement program in accordance with 10 CFR 851 as authorized by the Atomic Energy Act.

Functions

  • Implements a worker safety and health enforcement program that includes processes and incentives for contractors to promptly identify, report, and correct safety issues and noncompliances.
  • Investigates potential violations of enforceable requirements, including certain safety and health concerns raised by workers.
  • Evaluates the effectiveness of contractor programs in meeting DOE safety requirements and analyzes contractor noncompliance and performance information to determine whether conditions warrant enforcement discretion by DOE.
  • Resolves, through enforcement actions and other enforcement mechanisms (e.g., Consent Orders), significant contractor violations of DOE worker safety and health requirements that do not warrant enforcement discretion.
  • Makes recommendations to the NNSA Administrator for resolving significant NNSA contractor violations of DOE worker and safety requirements through enforcement mechanisms.
  • Works closely with DOE field and program elements and the Office of the Associate Under Secretary for Environment, Health, Safety and Security to implement the DOE worker safety and health enforcement program.
  • Coordinates with the DOE Office of General Counsel to ensure the legal sufficiency of enforcement case outcome documents.
  • Conducts and participates in various activities that facilitate improved contractor performance and compliance assurance, including conducting Regulatory Assistance Reviews, enforcement program training, and regular communication with the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) Enforcement Coordination Working Group.