Federal Agencies

Washington – Failures and mismanagement at the Chemical Safety Board have put public safety at risk, according to a joint staff report filed June 19 in conjunction with a hearing convened by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Arlington, VA – The Mine Safety and Health Administration has released a document with answers to frequently asked questions about the agency’s recent final rule on coal dust.

Washington – OSHA would receive a $5 million funding increase for fiscal year 2015 under a budget approved June 10 by a Senate subcommittee.

Washington – OSHA has unveiled an online game intended to help workers and employers identify hazards in the manufacturing and construction industries.

Washington – A test program to reduce the number of handheld laser attacks on aircraft has expanded into a national initiative from the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Air Line Pilots Association, International.

Washington – Key changes to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s hours-of-service regulation that went into effect July 2013 would be suspended, pending further research, under a proposed amendment to a Senate appropriations bill.

Washington – A new report sent to President Barack Obama June 6 outlines the actions OSHA intends to take in the next year to improve safety and security at chemical facilities.

Washington – OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency should revise ammonium nitrate regulations to provide better oversight of facilities that use the chemical compound, which has been involved in several major incidents over the past century, according to a Government Accountability report released May 19.

Washington – OSHA intends to issue final rules on personal protective equipment; confined spaces; and slips, trips and falls by the end of the year, according to the recently published semiannual regulatory agenda.

Washington – Beginning May 21, interstate truck and bus drivers must use only government-approved medical examiners to certify that they meet the physical fitness requirements for operating commercial vehicles.