INDUSTRIAL BOARD

The Industrial Board, Department of Labor and
Industry, is composed of five members: The Secretary
 of Labor and Industry, who is the chairman; an
employer of labor; a wage earner; a representative
of women; and a representative of the public. All
are appointed by the Governor. The Board meets at
least once a month, The work of the Board is managed
 by a secretary in the Harrisburg office of the
Department.
The Industrial Board has three major functions: to approve or disapprove
 regulations for earrying into effect the provisions of all the
laws entrusted to the Department for enforcement; to receive and act
upon petitions when exceptions are taken to the regulations; and to
conduct investigations.
The Board has the responsibility of approving all rules and regulations
 administered by the Department. These are usually received in
tentative form from the Bureau of Industrial Standards. but the
Board may also propose regulations for the Depart.
ment to enforce as a result of investigations.
When new or revised regulations are contemplated,
 public hearings are held throughout the
State in localities where the majority of those interested
 in the proposed regulations may attend. Effort
 is made to give the announcement of these hearings
 the greatest publicity. Department bulletins,
press associations, and special mailing lists are the
principal mediums used by the Board for this purpose.

Hearings are held so that all possible constructive
criticism may be obtained. Written suggestions are
also invited from interested persons who are unable to attend the hearings.
 At the conclusion of the hearings, the suggestions and eriticisms
which have been received are analyzed, and the tentative rules or regulations
 revised if necessary. The next steps are final approval by the
Board and promulgation by the Department.
In the administration of laws and regulations, it often becomes necessary
 that the intent of various provisions or requirements be emphasized.
 For this reason the Industrial Board is frequently
 called upon to render interpretation of such
laws and regulations, either upon request of industry,
 of the public, or of any Bureau within the Department.

Included in this first activity of the Industrial
Board is another function. Numerous laws and
regulations enforced by the Department require that
sertain protective devices be provided and that they
be of approved types. The Board receives requests
for approval of such devices, investigates their
merits, and either approves or disapproves them.
Where approval is given, a certificate indicating such

A. L. Linderman
Board Member