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

OSHA requests public comment concerning its proposed extension of the information collection requirements specified by the Standard on 4,4'-Methylenedianiline in General Industry (29 CFR 1910.1050). The standard protects employees from the adverse health effects that may result from occupational exposure to MDA, including cancer and liver disease.

In this final rule, OSHA is revising its existing Respiratory Protection Standard to add definitions and requirements for Assigned Protection Factors (APFs) and Maximum Use Concentrations (MUCs). The revisions also supersede the respirator selection provisions of existing substance-specific standards with these new APFs (except for the respirator selection provisions of the 1,3-Butadiene Standard). The Agency developed the final APFs after thoroughly reviewing the available literature, including chamber-simulation studies and workplace protection factor studies, comments submitted to the record, and hearing testimony. The final APFs provide employers with critical information to use when selecting respirators for employees exposed to atmospheric contaminants found in general industry, construction, shipyards, longshoring, and marine terminal workplaces. Proper respirator selection using APFs is an important component of an effective respiratory protection program. Accordingly, OSHA concludes that the final APFs are necessary to protect employees who must use respirators to protect them from airborne contaminants.

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

The New York Department of Labor submitted timely documentation attesting to the completion of all structural and developmental aspects of its public employee (State and local government) only State plan as approved by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). After extensive review of the submissions and opportunity for correction, plan supplements constituting an updated and revised State plan were submitted. OSHA is approving the revised State plan, which documents the satisfactory completion of all structural and developmental aspects of New York's approved State plan, and certifying this completion. This certification attests to the fact that New York now has in place those structural components necessary for an effective public employee only program. (Enforcement of occupational safety and health standards with regard to private sector employers and employees in the State of New York remains the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.)

The Secretary of Labor has reestablished the charter of the Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (MACOSH), which expired on April 1, 2005. The purpose of MACOSH is to obtain advice for the Assistance Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health (Assistant Secretary) from a broad range of representatives from the maritime industry on all matters relevant to the safety and health of employees in that sector. The Assistant Secretary will seek the advice of this committee on activities in the maritime industry related to the priorities set for the Agency, including: Strong, fair and effective enforcement; expanded compliance assistance, guidance and outreach; expanded partnerships and voluntary programs; leadership in the national dialogue on occupational safety and health; and regulatory matters affecting the maritime industry, as appropriate. The committee is diverse and balanced, both in terms of segments of the maritime industry represented (e.g., shipyard and longshoring industries), and in the views or interests represented by the members. The Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health has been reestablished and chartered for a two year term.