(a) Upon conclusion of an investigation, NIOSH will make a determination concerning the potentially toxic or hazardous effects of each substance or physical agent investigated as a result of the request for health hazard evaluation. At a minimum, the determination will: (1) Identify each substance or physical agent involved and describe, where appropriate, the concentrations or levels of the substance or physical agent found in the place of employment and the conditions of use, and (2) state whether each substance or physical agent has potentially toxic or hazardous effects in the concentrations or levels found, as well as the basis for the judgments.

(b) Copies of the determination will be mailed to the employer and to the authorized representatives of employees.

(c) Except as hereinafter provided, the employer shall post a copy of the determination for a period of 30 calendar days at or near the workplace(s) of affected employees. The employer shall take steps to insure that the posted determinations are not altered, defaced, or covered by other material during such period. The employer will not be required to post the determination if the employer requests that copies of the determination be mailed to affected employees and furnishes NIOSH with a list of the names and mailing addresses of the employees employed in the workplace(s) designated by the NIOSH Officer. In the latter event, NIOSH will mail such copies to affected employees at the mailing addresses provided by the employer.

(d) For purposes of this section, the term “affected employees” means those employees determined by NIOSH to be exposed to the substance(s) or physical agent(s) which is the subject of the health hazard evaluation.

(e) Copies of determinations made under the OSH Act will be forwarded to the Department of Labor and the appropriate State agency designated under section 18(b) of the OSH Act. Copies of determinations made under the FMSH Act will be forwarded to the Mine Safety and Health Administration of the Department of Labor; the Bureau of Mines, Department of the Interior; and the State agency which, in the judgment of NIOSH, would benefit the most from the information. If NIOSH determines that any substance or physical agent has potentially toxic or hazardous effects at the concentrations or levels at which it is used or found in a place of employment, and the substance or physical agent is not covered by a safety or health standard established under section 6 of the OSH Act or section 101 of the FMSH Act, NIOSH will immediately submit the determination to the Secretary of Labor, together with all pertinent criteria.