Dow Chemical U.S.A. (Commission decision, December 9, 1986)

Case remanded after Seventh Circuit decision

Decision type
Commission decision
Docket
84-0399
Decided
December 9, 1986
Outcome
Remanded
Precedential status
Citable Commission precedent
Checked against source
2026-07-26

Apply this precedent to your situation

This is citable Commission precedent from 1986, and it may have been appealed since. Ezel checks how it stands today and answers your situation, with citations.

Currency note: this decision dates from 1986
The OSHA standards may have been amended, penalty amounts have been adjusted, and later Commission or court decisions may have changed the analysis since then. Treat this page as historical context, not current compliance advice. Verify the current standard before relying on any specific rule, threshold, or penalty mentioned here.
Decision of the Commission
This remand order did not finally resolve the case. The Commission sent the case back for assignment to a judge and further proceedings under the court’s decision. Check subsequent history before relying on it. The full text below is from the official OSHRC release.
About this page: The plain-English summary and decision snapshot below were written by Ezel based on the official OSHRC release. The full text is the agency's own release.
Read the official release (oshrc.gov)

Plain-English summary

The Seventh Circuit returned Dow Chemical's case to the Commission. The Commission then remanded it to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for assignment to a new judge and further proceedings consistent with the court's decision. The original judge was no longer with the Commission. The official release does not include the prior judge's decision, identify a cited OSHA standard, or state the underlying facts or citation disposition.

Decision snapshot

  • Cited standard(s): None identified in the official release.
  • Outcome: Remanded for further proceedings under the Seventh Circuit's decision.
  • Key point: The Commission sent the returned case to a new administrative law judge rather than deciding the merits in this order.

Full text (OSHRC public release)

Docket No. 84-0399

SECRETARY OF LABOR,

Complainant,

v.

DOW CHEMICAL U.S.A.

Respondent.

OSHRC Docket No. 84-0399

DECISION

Before: BUCKLEY, Chairman; WALL, Commissioner.

BY THE COMMISSION:

This case is here on remand from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Brock v. Dow Chemical U.S.A., 801 F.2d 926 (7th Cir. 1986). The Commission remands to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for assignment to an administrative law judge [[1]] who is to conduct further proceedings in accordance with the decision of the Seventh Circuit.

FOR THE COMMISSION

RAY H. DARLING, JR.

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

DATED: December 9. 1986

The Administrative Law Judge decision in this matter is unavailable in this format. To obtain a copy of this document, please request one from our Public Information Office by e-mail ( [email protected] ), telephone (202-606-5398), fax (202-606-5050), or TTY (202-606-5386).

FOOTNOTES:

[[1]] Administrative Law Judge Ralph B. Maxwell, who issued the original Commission decision in this case on June 5, 1985, is no longer with the Commission.

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