Federal Agencies

Washington – The Environmental Protection Agency is offering a blueprint for prioritizing and evaluating chemicals that may pose risks to workers and other individuals.

Washington – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will issue a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking to update its Safety Fitness Determination practices, the agency announced Jan. 12.

Washington – A new set of recommendations from OSHA aims to help employers develop effective anti-retaliation programs that allow workers to voice concerns without fear of consequences.

Washington – OSHA will pursue a federal standard aimed at preventing workplace violence among health care and social service workers, after receiving petitions from National Nurses United and a coalition of labor unions led by the AFL-CIO.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration on Jan. 9 announced it is reopening two comment periods: one regarding a Request for Information on underground miner exposure to diesel exhaust, and the other on a proposed rule that would require underground coal mine operators to equip coal-hauling machines and scoops with proximity detection systems.

Washington – The House of Representatives on Jan. 4 passed the Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017 in an effort to stop President Barack Obama and his administration from pushing new regulations at the end of their term.

Washington – The National Association of Home Builders and other industry groups have filed a lawsuit against OSHA and the Department of Labor over what they call an “unlawful and arbitrary rule” that requires employers to electronically submit public worker injury and illness data, which will then be made available to the public on OSHA’s website.

Washington – OSHA has issued a final rule lowering occupational exposure limits for beryllium. The standards apply to general industry, construction and shipyards.

Washington – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has denied OSHA’s petitions for a rehearing and rehearing en banc of the court’s ruling that the agency failed to follow federal rulemaking requirements when it used a memorandum to announce a revised definition of retail facilities exempt from the Process Safety Management Standard.

Washington – Responsible organizations that already embrace the “triple bottom line” of people, planet and profit to reach sustainability goals should make the inclusion of occupational safety and health their next step, OSHA suggests in a recently released white paper.