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

OSHA invites interested parties to participate in informal stakeholder meetings on the workplace hazards of combustible dust. OSHA plans to use the information gathered at these meetings in developing a proposed standard for combustible dust.

OSHA is scheduling informal public hearings on its proposal to revise the Hazard Communication Standard. OSHA anticipates receiving several hearing requests, and this document describes the procedures the public must use to participate in the hearings.

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 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 the Committee and workgroup meetings scheduled for January 19-20, 2010.

ACCSH will meet December 10 and 11, 2009, in Washington, DC. In conjunction with ACCSH's meeting, its Work Groups will meet December 8 and 9, 2009.

OSHA is confirming the effective date of its direct final rule that revises the Acetylene Standard for general industry by updating references to standards published by standards-developing organizations. The direct final rule stated that it would become effective on November 9, 2009, unless OSHA received no significant adverse comments on the direct final rule by September 10, 2009. OSHA received eight comments on the direct final rule by that date, which it determined were not significant adverse comments. Therefore, OSHA is confirming that the direct final rule became effective on November 9, 2009.

Avalotis Corp. (``the applicant'') applied for a permanent variance from the provisions of the OSHA standards that regulate boatswain's chairs and hoist towers, specifically paragraph (o)(3) of 29 CFR 1926.452 and paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(4), (c)(8), (c)(13), (c)(14)(i), and (c)(16) of 29 CFR 1926.552. In addition, the applicant requested an interim order based on the alternative conditions specified by the variance application. These alternative conditions consist of the same conditions specified in recent variances granted by OSHA from these hoist-tower and boatswain's-chair provisions, as well as several additional conditions that would provide workers with protection from shearing, fall, and struck-by hazards. Therefore, OSHA is granting the applicant's request for an interim order.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Standard on Ethylene Oxide (EtO) (29 CFR 1910.1047).

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 4,4'- Methylenedianiline in General Industry (29 CFR 1910.1050).

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its request for an extension of the information collection requirements specified in its standards on Electrical Protective Equipment (29 CFR 1910.137) and Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution (29 CFR 1910.269).

OSHA is proposing to modify its existing Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to conform with the United Nations' (UN) Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). OSHA has made a preliminary determination that the proposed modifications will improve the quality and consistency of information provided to employers and employees regarding chemical hazards and associated protective measures. The Agency anticipates this improved information will enhance the effectiveness of the HCS in ensuring that employees are apprised of the chemical hazards to which they may be exposed, and in reducing the incidence of chemical-related occupational illnesses and injuries.

This notice modifies the scopes of recognition of several Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories resulting from the withdrawal of test standards by standards-developing organizations.

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its request for an extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Standard on Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals (PSM) (29 CFR 1910.119).

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Standard on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Shipyard Employment (29 CFR part 1915, subpart I).

The Illinois Public Employee Only State Plan, a State occupational safety and health plan applicable only to public sector employees (employees of the State and its political subdivisions), is approved as a developmental plan under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and OSHA regulations. Under the approved Plan, the Illinois Department of Labor is designated as the State agency responsible for the development and enforcement of occupational safety and health standards applicable to public employment throughout the State. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) retains full authority for coverage of private sector employees in the State of Illinois as well as for coverage of Federal government employees.

The Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH) will hold a special meeting on September 15, 2009, in Washington, DC, to review a draft report from the FACOSH Emerging Issues Workgroup on activities related to Federal agency pandemic-H1N1 influenza preparedness planning for the Federal workforce.

This notice announces the grant of a permanent variance to Gibraltar Chimney International, LLC, Hoffmann, Inc., and Kiewit Power

In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), the Agency is proposing to revise its Acetylene Standard for general industry by updating references to standards published by standards developing organizations (i.e., ``SDO standards''). OSHA also is publishing a direct final rule in today's Federal Register taking these same actions. This NPRM is the companion document to the direct final rule. This rulemaking is a continuation of OSHA's ongoing effort to update references to SDO standards used throughout its rules.

This document is a notice of addenda to the 1992 interagency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Energy. That MOU states that DOE has exclusive authority over the occupational safety and health of contractor employees at DOE Government-Owned and Contractor-Operated facilities (GOCOs). In addition, the MOU between the departments dated July 25, 2000, on safety and health enforcement at privatized facilities and operations, provides that OSHA has regulatory authority over occupational safety and health at certain privatized facilities and operations on land formerly under the control of DOE. This action is taken in accordance with the July 25, 2000 MOU, which establishes specific interagency procedures for the transfer of occupational safety and health coverage for such privatized facilities and operations from DOE to OSHA and state agencies acting under state plans approved by OSHA pursuant to section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), 29 U.S.C. 667. The MOUs may be found on the internet via the OSHA Web page https://www.osha.gov under the ``D'' for Department of Energy Transition Activities.

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 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 the Committee and workgroup meetings scheduled for September 1-2, 2009.

ACCSH will meet July 30 and 31, 2009, in Washington, DC. In conjunction with ACCSH's meeting its Work Groups will meet July 28 and 29, 2009.

OSHA solicits comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Hexavalent Chromium (VI) (29 CFR 1910.1026) Standard, and on a potential change to burden hour and cost estimates to the Standard's employee exposure notification requirement in response to a court remand.

The Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health requests nominations for membership on NACOSH.

The Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH) will meet June 25, 2009, in Washington, DC.

OSHA solicits comments concerning its proposal to extend OMB approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Lead in Construction Standard (29 CFR 1926.62).

ACCSH will meet April 16-17, 2009, and ACCSH Work Groups will meet April 14-15, 2009, in Washington, DC.