# 42 CFR § 85.9: Representatives of employers and employees; employee requests > Federal · Regulations · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.9 ## Section - **Citation:** 42 CFR § 85.9 - **Heading:** Representatives of employers and employees; employee requests - **Jurisdiction:** Federal - **Kind:** Regulations - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** September 22, 2026 - **Source:** Publisher's official text - **Location:** Title 42—Public Health > CHAPTER I—PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES > SUBCHAPTER G—OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES > PART 85—REQUESTS FOR HEALTH HAZARD EVALUATIONS ## Text (a) NIOSH officers shall be in charge of investigations. Where the request for a health hazard evaluation has been made by an authorized representative of employees, a representative of the employer and a representative authorized by his employees who is an employee of the employer shall be given an opportunity to accompany the NIOSH officer during the initial physical inspection of any workplace for the purpose of aiding the investigation by identifying the suspected hazard. The NIOSH officer may permit additional employer representatives and such additional representatives authorized by employees to accompany him where he determines that such additional representatives will further aid the investigation. However, if in the judgment of the NIOSH officer, good cause has been shown why accompaniment by a third party who is not an employee of the employer is reasonably necessary to the conduct of an effective and thorough investigation of the workplace, such third party may accompany the NIOSH officer during the inspection: Provided, however, That access by such persons to areas described in paragraph (d) of this section shall be in accordance with the requirements of such provision, and access to areas described in paragraph (e) of this section shall be with the consent of the employer. A different employer and employee representative may accompany the officer during each different phase of an inspection if this will not interfere with the conduct of the investigation. (b) NIOSH officers are authorized to resolve all disputes as to who is the representative authorized by the employer and employees for the purpose of this section. If there is no authorized representative of employees, or if the NIOSH officer is unable to determine with reasonable certainty who is such representative, he shall consult with a reasonable number of employees concerning matters directly related to the health hazard evaluation. (c) NIOSH officers are authorized to deny the right of accompaniment under this section to any person whose conduct interferes with a fair and orderly physical inspection. (d) With regard to information classified by an agency of the U.S. Government in the interest of national security, only persons authorized to have access to such information may accompany an officer in areas containing such information. (e) Upon request of an employer, any representative authorized under this § 85.9 by employees in any area containing trade secrets shall be an employee in that area or an employee authorized by the employer to enter that area. ## Nearby sections - [42 CFR § 85.1 § 85.1 Applicability.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.1.md) - [42 CFR § 85.2 § 85.2 Definitions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.2.md) - [42 CFR § 85.3 § 85.3 Procedures for requesting health hazard evaluations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.3.md) - [42 CFR § 85.3-1 § 85.3-1 Contents of a request for health hazard evaluation.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.3-1.md) - [42 CFR § 85.4 § 85.4 Acting on requests.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.4.md) - [42 CFR § 85.5 § 85.5 Authority for investigations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.5.md) - [42 CFR § 85.6 § 85.6 Advance notice of visits.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.6.md) - [42 CFR § 85.7 § 85.7 Conduct of investigations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.7.md) - [42 CFR § 85.8 § 85.8 Provision of suitable space for employee interviews and examinations; identification of employees.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.8.md) - [42 CFR § 85.9 § 85.9 Representatives of employers and employees; employee requests.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.9.md) - [42 CFR § 85.10 § 85.10 Imminent dangers.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.10.md) - [42 CFR § 85.11 § 85.11 Notification of determination to employers, affected employees and Department of Labor.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.11.md) - [42 CFR § 85.12 § 85.12 Subsequent requests for health hazard evaluations.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.12.md) - [42 CFR § 85a.1 § 85a.1 Applicability.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85a.1.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-42-85.9. 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