Section 31-376-19 - Petitions for modification of abatement period(a) An employer may file a petition for modification of abatement date when such employer has made a good faith effort to comply with the abatement requirements of a citation, but such abatement has not been completed because of factors beyond the employer's reasonable control.(b) A petition for modification of abatement date shall be in writing and shall include the following information: (1) All steps taken by the employer, and the dates of such action, in an effort to achieve compliance during the prescribed abatement period.(2) The specific additional abatement time necessary in order to achieve compliance.(3) The reasons such additional time is necessary including the unavailability of professional or technical personnel or of materials and equipment, or because necessary construction or alteration of facilities cannot be completed by the original abatement date.(4) All available interim steps being taken to safeguard the employees against the cited hazard during the abatement period.(c) A petition for modification of abatement date shall be filed with the Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Division of the Connecticut Labor Department who issued the citation no later than the close of the next working day following the date on which abatement was originally required. A later-filed petition shall be accompanied by the employer's statement of exceptional circumstances explaining the delay.(1) A copy of such petition shall be posted in a conspicuous place where all affected employees will have notice thereof or near each location where the violation occurred. The petition shall remain posted for a period of ten (10) working days. Where affected employees are represented by an authorized representative, said representative shall be served with a copy of such petition.(2) Affected employees or their representatives may file an objection in writing to such petition with the aforesaid Director. Failure to file such objection within ten (10) working days of the date of posting of such petition or of service upon an authorized representative shall constitute a waiver of any further right to object to said petition.(3) The Commissioner or his duly authorized agent shall have the authority to approve any petition for modification of abatement date filed pursuant to subpara-graphs (b) and (c). Such uncontested petitions shall become final orders pursuant to Section 31-377(a) and (c) of the Act.(4) The Commissioner or his authorized representative shall not exercise his approval power until the expiration of fifteen (15) working days from the date the petition was posted pursuant to paragraphs (c) (1) and (2) of this section by the employer, and then the Commissioner shall respond within the next following ten (10) days. Failure to respond within ten (10) days shall be interpreted as an approval of the petition.(d) Where any petition is objected to by the Commissioner or affected employees, such petition shall be processed as follows: (1) The petition, citation and any objections will be forwarded to the Commission within three (3) working days after the expiration of the fifteen (15) day period set out in paragraph (c) (4).(2) The Commission shall docket and process such petitions as expedited proceedings as provided in section 31-376-52.(3) An employer petitioning for a modification of abatement period shall have the burden of proving that such employer has made a good faith effort to comply with the abatement requirements of the citation and that abatement has not been completed because of factors beyond the employer's control.(4) Within ten (10) working days after the receipt of notice of the docketing by the Commission of any petition for modification of abatement date, each objecting party shall file a response setting forth the reasons for opposing the granting of a modification date different from that requested in the petition.Conn. Agencies Regs. § 31-376-19