Federal Agencies

Washington — The rate of overdose deaths among workers rose 24% annually over a recent six-year period, with heroin and opioids the most common contributors, results of a new NIOSH study show.

Washington — OSHA is seeking input on potential updates to its lockout/tagout standard, specifically concerning control circuit type devices and robotics, according to a Request for Information published in the May 20 Federal Register.

Washington — Feral cats and social security numbers are among the topics addressed in OSHA’s Standards Improvement Project - Phase IV final rule, intended to remove or revise “outdated, duplicative, unnecessary and inconsistent requirements” in the agency’s safety and health standards.

Washington – Already in its longest period without a permanent administrator, OSHA will have to wait even longer, as Scott Mugno has withdrawn from consideration as the agency’s assistant secretary of labor, according to a Bloomberg Law report published May 15.

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board is urging the Environmental Protection Agency to initiate a review and update a 1993 study on the toxic chemical hydrofluoric acid.

Port Fourchon, LA — The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s rollback of certain provisions of a rule intended to prevent a repeat of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon offshore oil rig disaster will maintain safety and environmental protections, the agency claims, as advocacy groups announce their intention to fight the move.

Washington — The House Appropriations Committee approved a funding bill that would give sizable boosts to OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration, during a markup May 8.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule on asbestos intended to keep manufacturers from reintroducing “discontinued uses” of the known human carcinogen into the market without EPA approval.

Washington — The Environmental Protection Agency, in accordance with the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, is seeking public comment on a list of 40 chemicals to prioritize for risk evaluation, according to a notice published in the March 21 Federal Register.

Washington — June 7 is the target date for publication of a proposed rule intended to add flexibility to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers, according to a Department of Transportation regulatory update released in May.