Insight & Commentary on Occupational Safety & Health Issues
OSHA’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) on combustible dust should be published soon in the Federal Register. The ANPR is currently under review by the Office of Management and Budget, the final step in the intergovernmental review process. Employers with combustible dust hazards in their worksites are encouraged to participate in the rulemaking process.
Combustible…
OSHA’s long-awaited proposed rule updating its Hazard Communication standard will be published in tomorrow’s Federal Register (September 30). Here is an advance version of the proposal.
We will provide more information on this important rulemaking in an upcoming post.
In a move widely applauded by both employer and employee groups, OSHA has updated its general industry and maritime personal protective equipment (PPE) standards to specifically allow the use of certain PPE designed according to current national consensus standards. OSHA’s final rule, “Updating OSHA Standards Based on National Consensus Standards; Personal Protective Equipment,” will…
OSHA’s Hazard Communication/Globally Harmonized System proposed rule has been cleared by the Office of Management and Budget, paving the way for the agency to publish it for public comment. The proposed rule has been in the works for several years and the Obama Administration has made finalizing it a priority. If finalized, the proposed rule could significantly…
With Labor Day behind us and schools back in session, concerns about the H1N1 influenza virus and seasonal flu are resurfacing. The Centers for Disease Control recently released Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to the 2009-2010 Flu Season, including a helpful “toolkit” to aid in such planning. OSHA also has published…
In a speech recently before the Small Business Administration’s safety and health forum in Washington, DC, Richard E. Fairfax, OSHA’s Director of Enforcement and Construction Programs, provided an update on the agency’s key enforcement initiatives. Of particular note, Mr. Fairfax stated:
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