There are several dates in 2014 that were mentioned in the OSHA portion of the US Department of Labor’s Fall 2013 Regulatory Agenda, that employers should take notice of:
- January 27, 2014- Cutoff date to comment on the proposed rule aimed at cutting in half occupational exposure levels to silica dust. OSHA’s public hearings on this issue are scheduled to begin on March 18, 2014 in Washington, D.C.
- September 2014- A proposed rule requiring employers to implement an injury and illness prevention program (I2P2). The agency says this program “involves planning, implementing, evaluating and improving processes and activities that promote worker safety and health.”
- April 2014- A proposed rule for regulating occupational exposure to beryllium.
- April 2014- OSHA will initiate the required small business review of a combustible dust standard for general industry.
- April 2014- Release of the draft final rule that would update the list of industries that are partially exempt from the requirements to maintain a log of occupational injuries and illnesses. It would also revise employer requirements to report fatalities and certain injuries. The proposed regulation would require reporting for the hospitalization of just one worker as opposed to the current regulation that requires reporting for the impatient hospitalization of three of more employees.
For more information and OSHA regulatory dates please visit http://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/safetysecurity/articles/Pages/OSHA-Publishes-Plans-2014.aspx or http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaMain?operation=OPERATION_GET_AGENCY_RULE_LIST¤tPub=true&agencyCode=&showStage=active&agencyCd=1200&Image58.x=92&Image58.y=17