Occupational Safety and Health Administration May 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

OSHA proposes to revise the walking-working surfaces standards and the personal protective equipment standards in our regulations. The proposal is estimated to reduce the number of fall-related employee deaths and injuries by updating the rule to include new technology (including personal fall protection systems) and industry methods. OSHA believes that the proper use of personal fall protection systems can protect employees from injury and death due to falls to different elevations. The proposal reorganizes the rule in a clearer, more logical manner and provides greater compliance flexibility. The proposed rule is written in plain-language to make it easier to understand, thereby facilitating compliance. Additionally, the proposal increases consistency between construction, maritime, and general industry standards, and eliminates duplication.

The National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health (NACOSH) will meet June 8, 2010, in Washington, DC.

OSHA is confirming the effective date of its direct final rule (DFR) revising the employee notification requirements in the exposure determination provisions of the standards for Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI)). In the March 17, 2010, DFR document, OSHA stated that the DFR would become effective on June 15, 2010, unless one or more significant adverse comments were submitted by April 16, 2010. OSHA did not receive significant adverse comments on the DFR, so by this document the Agency is confirming that the DFR will become effective on June 15, 2010.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is conducting a review of its Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030) under Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and Section 5 of Executive Order 12866 on Regulatory Planning and Review. OSHA conducts its review pursuant to Section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 610, and Section 5 of Executive Order (EO) 12866. Section 610 directs agencies to review impacts of regulations on small businesses by examining: the continued need for the rule; the nature of complaints or comments received concerning the rule from the public; the complexity of the rule; the extent to which the rule overlaps, duplicates or conflicts with other Federal rules, and, to the extent feasible, with State and local governmental rules; and the length of time since the rule has been evaluated or the degree to which technology, economic conditions, or other factors have changed in the area affected by the rule. The EO requires agencies to determine whether their regulations ``should be modified or eliminated so as to make the Agency's regulatory program more effective in achieving the regulatory objectives, less burdensome, or in greater alignment with the President's priorities and principles set forth in th[e] Executive Order.'' Written comments on these and other relevant issues are welcome.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Occupational Exposure to Noise Standard. The information collection requirements specified in the Noise Standard protect workers from suffering material hearing impairment.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has completed a review of the Methylene Chloride (MC) Standard (29 CFR 1910.1052) pursuant to section 610 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act and section 5 of Executive Order 12866 on Regulatory Planning and Review. The purpose of this review was to determine whether the MC Standard has functioned as intended, whether it could be simplified or improved to reduce the regulatory burden on small businesses, or whether it is no longer needed and should be rescinded.