Occupational Safety and Health Administration 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

OSHA is correcting typographical errors in, and making non- substantive technical amendments to, 16 OSHA standards. The technical amendments include updating or revising cross-references and updating OSHA recordkeeping log numbers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is correcting an interim final rule on the procedures for the handling of retaliation complaints under Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, As Amended, published in the Federal Register of November 3, 2011 (76 FR 68084).

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified by the Acrylonitrile Standard (29 CFR 1910.1045).

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Standard on Vinyl Chloride (29 CFR 1910.1017).

In this direct final rule, the Agency is revising its Acetylene Standard for general industry by updating a reference to a standard published by a standards-developing organization (``SDO standards''). This rulemaking is a continuation of OSHA's ongoing effort to update references to SDO standards used throughout its rules.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is extending the comment period for its notice presenting the Agency's preliminary finding on the application of Curtis Straus LLC (CSL) for renewal of its Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).

ACCSH will meet December 15-16, 2011, in Washington, DC. In conjunction with the ACCSH meeting, ACCSH Work Groups will meet December 13-14, 2011. This notice also announces the appointment of a new ACCSH member and ACCSH chair.

OSHA invites interested persons to submit nominations for membership on ACCSH.

The Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH) will meet Thursday, December 1, 2011, in Washington, DC. This Federal Register notice also announces the renewal of the FACOSH charter.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is amending the regulations governing employee protection (``retaliation'' or ``whistleblower'') claims under section 806 of the Corporate and Criminal Fraud Accountability Act of 2002, Title VIII of the Sarbanes- Oxley Act of 2002 (``Sarbanes-Oxley'' or ``Act''), which was amended by sections 922 and 929A of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, enacted on July 21, 2010. Public Law 111-203. These revisions to the Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower regulations clarify and improve the procedures for handling Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower complaints and implement statutory changes enacted into law as part of the 2010 statutory amendments. These changes to the Sarbanes-Oxley whistleblower regulations also make the procedures for handling retaliation complaints under Sarbanes-Oxley more consistent with OSHA's procedures for handling complaints under the employee protection provisions of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982, 29 CFR part 1978; the National Transit Systems Security Act and the Federal Railroad Safety Act, 29 CFR part 1982; the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, 29 CFR part 1983; and the Employee Protection Provisions of Six Environmental Statutes and Section 211 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, as amended, 29 CFR part 24.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030). The information collection requirements specified in the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard provide employers and workers with means to provide protection from adverse health effects associated with occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Inorganic Arsenic Standard (29 CFR part 1910.1018).

This document gives notice of OSHA's approval of a change to the state of Hawaii's occupational safety and health state plan to exclude coverage of private sector employers and employees at all military installations. The state of Hawaii, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, requested in a November 15, 2010 memorandum which was reiterated in a February 22, 2011, letter from the Governor, that jurisdiction be relinquished to federal OSHA for conducting safety and health inspections of private sector employers within the borders of all military installations in Hawaii. Accordingly, OSHA amends its regulations to reflect this change in the level of federal enforcement.

This notice announces the application of Curtis-Straus LLC for renewal of its recognition as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and presents the Agency's preliminary finding to deny this application for renewal of NRTL recognition.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirement contained in the Standard on Vehicle-Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms (Aerial Lifts) (29 CFR 1910.67). The purpose of the requirement is to reduce workers' risk of death or serious injury by ensuring that aerial lifts are in safe operating condition.

OSHA is reopening the record and extending the deadline for submitting nominations for membership on the Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH) until October 31, 2011.

OSHA is reopening the rulemaking record to allow interested persons to comment on OSHA's proposal to update Appendix A to Subpart B of its Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting regulation and the proposed requirement to report to OSHA, within eight hours, all work- related fatalities and all work-related in-patient hospitalizations; and within 24 hours, all work-related amputations. The docket is being reopened in response to a request made by the National Automobile Dealers Association. The record will remain open for 30 days.

This notice announces the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's decision to revoke the recognition of Wyle Laboratories, Inc. (Wyle) as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory under 29 CFR 1910.7.

The Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH) was established under Section 7 of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970 to advise the Secretary of Labor, through the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, on issues relating to occupational safety and health in the maritime industries. The purpose of this Federal Register notice is to announce that the Committee and workgroups will meet on September 20- 21, 2011, in Portland, ME.

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OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Standard on Vertical Tandem Lifts (VTLs) in Marine Terminals (29 CFR part 1917). The collection of information (paperwork) provisions of the Standard specify the development and implementation of a written plan for transporting vertically coupled containers in a terminal.

OSHA invites interested parties to participate in informal stakeholder meetings concerning occupational exposure to infectious diseases. OSHA plans to use the information gathered at these meetings to explore the possible development of a proposed rule to protect workers from occupational exposure to infectious agents in settings, either where workers provide direct patient care or where workers perform tasks other than direct patient care that also have occupational exposure. These other work tasks include: Providing patient support services (e.g., housekeeping, facility maintenance); handling, transporting, receiving or processing infectious items or wastes (e.g., transporting medical specimens, disposing of medical waste); conducting autopsies or performing mortuary services; and performing tasks in laboratories.

OSHA solicits comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Consultation Agreement regulations (hereinafter, the Onsite Consultation Program regulations) (29 CFR part 1908). The Onsite Consultation Program regulations specify services to be provided, and practices and procedures to be followed, by the State Onsite Consultation Programs. Information collection requirements set forth in the Onsite Consultation Program regulations are in two categories: State Responsibilities and Employer Responsibilities. Eight regulatory provisions require information collection activities by the State. The Federal government provides 90 percent of the funds for Onsite Consultation services delivered by the States, which result in the collections of information. Four requirements apply to employers and specify conditions for receiving the free Onsite Consultation services.

This notice announces availability of approximately $4.7 million for Susan Harwood Training Program grants under the following categories: Capacity Building Developmental, Capacity Building Pilot, Targeted Topic Training, and Training and Educational Materials Development grants.

The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) will meet June 22, 2011, in Washington, DC. In conjunction with the committee meeting, NACOSH subgroups will meet on June 21, 2011.