Insight & Commentary on Occupational Safety & Health Issues
OSHA’s Cranes and Derricks in Construction final rule has just cleared the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), setting the stage for this important rule to be published within the next few weeks.
As previously discussed in this space, this final rule has been several years in the making. The proposal contained over 40 separate…
OSHA has published a proposed rule that would revise requirements governing the prevention of slips, trips, and falls in general industry workplaces. OSHA’s "Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems)" proposed rule impacts virtually every general industry workplace in the country. Slips, trips, and falls are one of the leading causes of OSHA recordable…
OSHA’s Cranes and Derricks in Construction final rule is currently under review at the Office of Management and Budget. The rule was received by OMB on April 9, 2010, which means that OSHA could publish the rule by the end of July. Construction employers who use cranes in their operations must prepare for what is sure to be…
OSHA has just announced that it is extending by 15 days the public comment period for its proposal to add a separate column on the OSHA 300 log for employers to record work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Those wishing to comment on the proposed rule must now do so by March 30, 2010. Four separate stakeholders had requested…
In a move sure to be viewed by some as a prelude to a new ergonomics rulemaking, OSHA has proposed adding a separate column on the OSHA 300 log for employers to record work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). (The initial 2001 recordkeeping final rule had included an MSD column, but OSHA later deleted that column before…
In mid-December 2009, Professor David Michaels was sworn in as the new Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. Shortly after being sworn in as Assistant Secretary, Professor Michaels gave an interesting speech at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Going Green Workshop. The speech was entitled “Making Green Jobs Safe: Integrating Occupational Safety …
In 2009, OSHA emerged from the regulatory and enforcement shell that had shrouded it during the eight years of the Bush Administration. Once confirmed, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced that a “new Sheriff” was in town, who would refocus the Department of Labor – including OSHA – on tough enforcement and aggressive rulemaking. In both areas, OSHA…
In a December 29, 2009 Federal Register notice, OSHA has announced three informal public hearings on its proposal to update its hazard communication standard. The hearings will begin at 9:30 am on the following dates:
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OSHA has released its long-awaited Fall Regulatory Agenda. The Regulatory Agenda lists the major rulemaking initiatives that the agency will be pursuing over the next 12 months. The Agenda also provides a snapshot into the agency’s priorities, as we enter the second year of the administration of President Obama.
Longstanding Rulemakings Remain on the Agenda…
In one of the most significant rulemaking efforts in over a decade, OSHA is proposing to revise its hazard communication standard to align it with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). If finalized, the rule would affect over 5 million business establishments across the country and potentially over 120…
