The International Safety Equipment Association has written new OSHA chief John Henshaw a letter pressing the need for these standards:

Assigned Protection Factors - OSHA should complete the respirator standard by adding respirator APFs, used to guide employers and employees in choosing the most appropriate level of respiratory protection. OSHA revised its respirator rule in 1998 without an APF table.

Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection - OSHA proposed an update to this standard in 1990, aimed at giving general industry the same level of protection against slips, trips and falls that is required in the construction industry. OSHA should finalize the standard and require personal fall protection systems for general industry, according to ISEA.

Hearing conservation in construction and general industry - ISEA wants OSHA to publish specific rules for hearing protection in construction, and begin to reevaluate the permissible noise level for general industry.

Confined Space in Construction - OSHA should act on a proposed standard that would set "plain language" requirements for confined space safety in construction and take into account issues specific to the industry.

Employer-Pay-For-PPE - The rule clarifying that employers are responsible for providing appropriate personal protective equipment when needed has been pending since 1999, and ISEA wants OSHA to finalize the requirements.