Occupational Safety and Health Administration October 13, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This notice announces the grant of a permanent variance to Keystone Steel and Wire Company. The permanent variance addresses the provisions that regulate occupational exposure to lead and arsenic, specifically paragraph (h)(2)(i) of 29 CFR 1910.1025 and paragraph (k)(2) of 29 CFR 1910.1018. These provisions prohibit the use of compressed air to clean floors and other surfaces where lead and arsenic particulates accumulate. As an alternative to complying with these provisions, Keystone Steel and Wire Company may instead comply with the conditions listed in this grant; these alternative conditions regulate the use of compressed air in combination with a vacuum- containment system to remove particulates containing lead and arsenic from inside crane-motor housings during periodic maintenance operations. Accordingly, OSHA finds that these alternative conditions protect workers at least as well as the requirements specified by 29 CFR 1910.1025(h)(2)(i) and 29 CFR 1910.1018(k)(2). This permanent variance applies only in Federal OSHA enforcement jurisdictions.