Occupational Safety and Health Administration 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

OSHA routinely conducts reviews of its existing safety and health standards to improve and update them. As part of this ongoing process, OSHA is issuing this ANPRM to initiate Phase III of the Standards Improvement Project (SIPs III). SIPs III is the third in a series of rulemaking actions intended to improve and streamline OSHA standards by removing or revising individual requirements within rules that are confusing, outdated, duplicative, or inconsistent. These revisions maintain or enhance employees' safety and health, while reducing regulatory burdens where possible. OSHA has already identified a number of provisions that are potential candidates for inclusion in SIPs III. These candidates include recommendations received from the public in other rulemakings. The purpose of this notice is to invite comment on these recommendations, as well as provide an opportunity for commenters to suggest other candidates that might be appropriate for inclusion in this rulemaking. OSHA will use the information received in response to this notice to help determine the scope of SIPs III.

This notice announces the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's final decision expanding the recognition of TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc., (TUV) as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory under 29 CFR 1910.7.

Congress created NACOSH to advise the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on matters relating to the administration of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The purpose of this Federal Register notice is to announce the upcoming NACOSH meeting. The Agenda items for the meeting will include updates on activities of both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Presentation will also be made on the following: National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA); Cooperative Programs; Enforcement Update; Standards Update; and Cranes and Derricks Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act (SBREFA) Update.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is making a minor amendment to its final rule governing occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium in general industry, which was promulgated on February 28, 2006. This amendment implements a settlement agreement (Agreement) entered into among OSHA, the Surface Finishing Industry Council (SFIC), Public Citizen Health Research Group (HRG), and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (Steelworkers) on October 25, 2006, to resolve SFIC's legal challenge to the standard.

On September 15, 2004, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a new fire protection final rule for shipyards that incorporated by reference 19 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Ten of those NFPA standards had been updated by NFPA since the fire protection rule was proposed and an additional NFPA standard has been updated since the final rule was published. In today's Federal Register, OSHA is publishing a direct final rule (DFR) replacing the references to the 11 older NFPA standards in OSHA's fire protection standard for shipyards with their most recent versions. If OSHA does not receive significant adverse comment on the DFR, the updated versions of the NFPA standards will replace their older versions in OSHA's fire protection standard for shipyards on the effective date stated in the DFR. If significant adverse comment on the updated versions is received, OSHA will withdraw the DFR and proceed with rulemaking on this proposed rule. However, if significant adverse comments are received regarding certain provisions included in the DFR, but not others, OSHA may finalize those changes that did not receive significant adverse comment, and conduct further rulemaking under the proposed rule for the changes that did receive significant adverse comment. A subsequent Federal Register document will be published to announce OSHA's action.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements contained in its Ethylene Oxide (EtO) Standard (29 CFR 1910.1047). The Standard protects employees from the adverse health effects that may result from occupational exposure to EtO, including carcinogenic, mutagenic, genotoxic, reproductive, neurologic, and sensitization hazards to employees.

This notice announces the application of Southwest Research Institute (SWRI) for renewal and expansion of its recognition and presents the Agency's preliminary finding in favor of granting this request. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of this application.

OSHA solicits public comment concerning its request for an extension of the information collection requirements specified by its standard on Walking-Working Surfaces (29 CFR part 1910, subpart D).

ACCSH will meet October 11-12, 2006, in Washington, DC. This meeting is open to the public. Time and Date: ACCSH will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, October 11-12, 2006. Place: ACCSH will meet in Room N-3437 A/B/C of the Frances Perkins Building, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210.

The Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH) was established to advise the Secretary of Labor on issues relating to the occupational safety and health of Federal employees. The purpose of this Federal Register notice is to announce the upcoming FACOSH meeting. The Agenda items for the meeting will include: 1. Call to Order. 2. Program Updates. a. GAO Audit. b. SHARE. c. Federal Recordkeeping. d. Federal Agency Training. e. Pandemic Flu Guidance for Federal Agencies. 3. New Business. 4. Adjournment.

The Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH) was established to advise the Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA on issued relating to occupational safety and health in the maritime industries. The purpose of this Federal Register notice is to announce to MACOSH meeting scheduled for September 2006.

This notice announces the application of MET Laboratories, Inc., for expansion of its recognition to use additional test standards, and presents the Agency's preliminary finding to grant this request for expansion. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of this application.

This notice announces the application of National Technical Systems, Inc., (NTS) for renewal of its recognition, and presents the Agency's preliminary finding to grant this request. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of the renewal application.

OSHA requests comment concerning its proposed extension of the information collection requirements specified by the Standard on 4,4'- Methylenedianiline (MDA) in Construction (29 CFR 1926.60). The Standard protects employees from the adverse health effects that may result from occupational exposure to MDA, including cancer, and liver and skin disease.

OSHA solicits public comment on the proposed Conflict of Interest and Disclosure Form (COI) form, which will be used to determine whether or not a conflict of interest exists for a potential peer review panel member.

This notice announces the application of TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc., (TUV) for expansion of its recognition to use additional test standards, and presents the Agency's preliminary finding to grant this request for expansion. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of this application.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998 (FAIR Act), and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76, the Department of Labor must notify the public when it either concurs or disagrees with a challenge from directly affected employees. In this case, the challenge concerns the reclassification of a number of full time equivalent (FTE) Whistleblower Investigators, Supervisory Investigators, Program Managers, and Team Leaders in OSHA's National Office and field locations, to ``inherently governmental'' status from their prior classification as commercial in nature in the Department of Labor's FY 2005 FAIR Act Inventory for OSHA.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) awards funds to nonprofit organizations to provide training and education programs for employers and workers about safety and health topics selected by OSHA. Nonprofit organizations, including community-based and faith-based organizations, that are not an agency of a State or local government, are eligible to apply. State or local government-supported institutions of higher education are eligible to apply in accordance with 29 CFR part 95. This notice announces grant availability for Susan Harwood Training Program grants. This notice contains all of the necessary information and forms needed to apply for grant funding.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is correcting errors in the final rule addressing occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium that appeared in the Federal Register on February 28, 2006.

In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), as amended (5 U.S.C., App. 2), and after consultation with the General Services Administration (GSA), the Secretary of Labor has determined that the re-establishment of the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH) is in the public interest. The Committee will better enable OSHA to perform the duties imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), 84 Stat. 1590, 29 U.S.C. 651 et seq.) Authority to establish this Committee is found in sections 6(b) and 7(b) of the OSH Act; Section 41 of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act (33 U.S.C. 941), and other general agency authority in Title 5 of the United States Code, and 29 CFR part 1912.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements contained in its Benzene Standard (29 CFR 1910.1028). The Standard protects employees from adverse health effects from occupational exposure to benzene.

This notice announces the application of NSF International for expansion of its recognition to use additional test standards, and presents the Agency's preliminary finding to grant this request for expansion. This preliminary finding does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of this application.

The Department of Labor is conducting an ongoing review of its regulations to update non-substantive or nomenclature references in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). As part of this review, OSHA has identified safety and health rules needing correction or technical amendment. The revisions do not affect the substantive requirements or coverage of the standards involved, modify or revoke existing rights and obligations, or establish new rights and obligations. The revisions include updating references and removing obsolete effective dates and startup dates from existing Agency standards.

This notice announces the grant of a permanent variance to Commonwealth Dynamics, Inc., Mid-Atlantic Boiler & Chimney, Inc., and R and P Industrial Chimney Co., Inc. (``the employers''). The permanent variance addresses the provision that regulates the tackle used for boatswains' chairs (29 CFR 1926.452 (o)(3)), as well as the provisions specified for personnel hoists by paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(4), (c)(8), (c)(13), (c)(14)(i), and (c)(16) of 29 CFR 1926.552. Instead of complying with these provisions, the employers must comply with a number of alternative conditions listed in this grant; these alternative conditions regulate rope-guided personnel-hoisting systems used during inside or outside chimney construction to raise or lower employees in personnel cages, personnel platforms, and boatswains' chairs between the bottom landing of a chimney and an elevated work location. Accordingly, OSHA finds that these alternative conditions protect employees at least as well as the requirements specified by 29 CFR 1926.452(o)(3) and 1926.552(c)(1) through (c)(4), (c)(8), (c)(13), (c)(14)(i), and (c)(16).