---
kind: "section"
citation: "29 U.S.C. § 669"
title: "29"
title_heading: "Labor"
number: "669"
heading: "Research and related activities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/29/669"
units:
  - "Chapter 15 — Occupational Safety and Health"
---

# §669. Research and related activities

- (a) **Authority of Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct research, experiments, and demonstrations, develop plans, establish criteria, promulgate regulations, authorize programs, and publish results and industrywide studies; consultations—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services, after consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) and with other appropriate Federal departments or agencies, shall conduct (directly or by grants or contracts) research, experiments, and demonstrations relating to occupational safety and health, including studies of psychological factors involved, and relating to innovative methods, techniques, and approaches for dealing with occupational safety and health problems.
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services shall from time to time consult with the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) in order to develop specific plans for such research, demonstrations, and experiments as are necessary to produce criteria, including criteria identifying toxic substances, enabling the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) to meet his responsibility for the formulation of safety and health standards under this chapter; and the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services, on the basis of such research, demonstrations, and experiments and any other information available to him, shall develop and publish at least annually such criteria as will effectuate the purposes of this chapter.
  - (3) The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services, on the basis of such research, demonstrations, and experiments, and any other information available to him, shall develop criteria dealing with toxic materials and harmful physical agents and substances which will describe exposure levels that are safe for various periods of employment, including but not limited to the exposure levels at which no [employee](/usc/29/652.md?p=6) will suffer impaired health or functional capacities or diminished life expectancy as a result of his work experience.
  - (4) The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services shall also conduct special research, experiments, and demonstrations relating to occupational safety and health as are necessary to explore new problems, including those created by new technology in occupational safety and health, which may require ameliorative action beyond that which is otherwise provided for in the operating provisions of this chapter. The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services shall also conduct research into the motivational and behavioral factors relating to the field of occupational safety and health.
  - (5) The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services, in order to comply with his responsibilities under [paragraph (2)](#a-2), and in order to develop needed information regarding potentially toxic substances or harmful physical agents, may prescribe regulations requiring [employers](/usc/29/652.md?p=5) to measure, record, and make reports on the exposure of [employees](/usc/29/652.md?p=6) to substances or physical agents which the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services reasonably believes may endanger the health or safety of [employees](/usc/29/652.md?p=6). The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services also is authorized to establish such programs of medical examinations and tests as may be necessary for determining the incidence of occupational illnesses and the susceptibility of [employees](/usc/29/652.md?p=6) to such illnesses. Nothing in this or any other provision of this chapter shall be deemed to authorize or require medical examination, immunization, or treatment for those who object thereto on religious grounds, except where such is necessary for the protection of the health or safety of others. Upon the request of any [employer](/usc/29/652.md?p=5) who is required to measure and record exposure of [employees](/usc/29/652.md?p=6) to substances or physical agents as provided under this subsection, the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services shall furnish full financial or other assistance to such [employer](/usc/29/652.md?p=5) for the purpose of defraying any additional expense incurred by him in carrying out the measuring and recording as provided in this subsection.
  - (6) The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services shall publish within six months of December 29, 1970, and thereafter as needed but at least annually a list of all known toxic substances by generic family or other useful grouping, and the concentrations at which such toxicity is known to occur. He shall determine following a written request by any [employer](/usc/29/652.md?p=5) or authorized representative of [employees](/usc/29/652.md?p=6), specifying with reasonable particularity the grounds on which the request is made, whether any substance normally found in the place of employment has potentially toxic effects in such concentrations as used or found; and shall submit such determination both to [employers](/usc/29/652.md?p=5) and affected [employees](/usc/29/652.md?p=6) as soon as possible. If the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services determines that any substance is potentially toxic at the concentrations in which it is used or found in a place of employment, and such substance is not covered by an occupational safety or health standard promulgated under [section 655 of this title](/usc/29/655.md), the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services shall immediately submit such determination to the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1), together with all pertinent criteria.
  - (7) Within two years of December 29, 1970, and annually thereafter the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services shall conduct and publish industrywide studies of the effect of chronic or low-level exposure to industrial materials, processes, and stresses on the potential for illness, disease, or loss of functional capacity in aging adults.
- (b) **Authority of Secretary of Health and Human Services to make inspections and question employers and employees—** The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services is authorized to make inspections and question [employers](/usc/29/652.md?p=5) and [employees](/usc/29/652.md?p=6) as provided in [section 657 of this title](/usc/29/657.md) in order to carry out his functions and responsibilities under this section.
- (c) **Contracting authority of Secretary of Labor; cooperation between Secretary of Labor and Secretary of Health and Human Services—** The [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) is authorized to enter into contracts, agreements, or other arrangements with appropriate public agencies or private organizations for the purpose of conducting studies relating to his responsibilities under this chapter. In carrying out his responsibilities under this subsection, the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) shall cooperate with the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services in order to avoid any duplication of efforts under this section.
- (d) **Dissemination of information to interested parties—** Information obtained by the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) and the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services under this section shall be disseminated by the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) to [employers](/usc/29/652.md?p=5) and [employees](/usc/29/652.md?p=6) and organizations thereof.
- (e) **Delegation of functions of Secretary of Health and Human Services to Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health—** The functions of the [Secretary](/usc/29/652.md?p=1) of Health and Human Services under this chapter shall, to the extent feasible, be delegated to the [Director](/usc/29/652.md?p=12) of the National [Institute](/usc/29/652.md?p=13) for Occupational Safety and Health established by [section 671 of this title](/usc/29/671.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–596, § 20, Dec. 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 1610; Pub. L. 96–88, title V, § 509(b), Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 695.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted in text for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” pursuant to section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88 which is classified to section 3508(b) of Title 20, Education.