When J. J. Keller launched the online regulatory reference service RegSense® in 2010, customers were thrilled to be able to quickly access current OSHA, DOT, EPA, and Hazmat regulations online. While the service grew in popularity, the team at J. J. Keller continued to search for ways to improve its features and functionality.

A California lawmaker is urging federal regulators to investigate a new tanning industry group he says is using “junk science” to mislead the public about the risks of sunbeds.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) submitted comments on Jan. 22 raising questions about a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed-policy to allow the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) oversight of aircraft cabin workplace safety issues. The FAA proposal raises the specter of additional oversight and regulation of business aircraft operations, according to an NBAA press statement.

In the spring of 2010, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, who announced her resignation January 9^th, 2013, put her name on the Department of Labor’s Regulatory Agenda Narrative, where she endorsed a strategy of “Plan/Prevent/Protect.”

A government watchdog group says that anti-regulation lawmakers used procedural hurdles and attacks on science to block new federal laws standards in 2012  - and that they're likely to continue that strategy in the coming year. "Both efforts are likely to re-emerge next year,” predicts OMB Watch, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization that monitors actions by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Washington and financial powers that be are abuzz with daily updates as to whether the U.S. government will actually plunge at year’s end from the so-called “financial cliff” brought on by piling federal debt. There is even talk of Congress returning to DC between Christmas and New Year’s to try to work out a deal.

At least one advocacy group is hoping that, with the presidential election out of the way, the Obama administration will move to strengthen health, safety, and environmental protections that got stalled during the administration’s first term.

Hurray! The Presidential election is over. Let’s hope this means that Obama administration officials will come out from under their beds and embrace their regulatory authority to issue some strong public health and environmental regulations.

Jobs creation and avoiding the fiscal cliff are top of mind issues of national business groups following the election. More narrow issues, such as OSHA policies and standards, are for another day, probably sometime in 2013, especially if OSHA makes noises about new standards.

OSHA might be the only federal regulatory agency that has attempted to keep its activity within the rules mandated by Congress. The US EPA is quite different in that aspect.