According to OSHA’s Spring 2015 Unified Agenda, the follow standards are in the pre-rule, years-away from reality, state: bloodborne pathogens, combustible dust, chemical management and permissible exposure limits (PELs), process safety management and prevention of major chemical accidents, shipyard fall protection and communication tower safety. Without question, and with decades of slow standards-setting experience at OSHA, these issue will take years to be addressed, if ever.
A bit closer to reality are standards in the proposed rule state. These include occupational exposure to crystalline silica, exposure to beryllium, streamlining provisions of state OSHA plans, amendments to the cranes and derricks construction standard, an amended respirator quantitative fit testing protocol, and crane operator qualification in construction. Still, it’s unlikely any of these issues will emerge from the standards-setting pipeline until 2017 and beyond.