Articles Tagged with ''rulemaking''

A prolonged government shutdown could affect the rulemaking process of OSHA’s recently proposed OSHA silica rule in a number of ways, according to Aaron Trippler, Government Affairs Director for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA).

A newly published study of Chinese tin and pottery workers has  found that exposure to airborne silica dust is associated with a significant increase in the risk of developing lung cancer.

A coalition of construction industry trade associations is concerned that OSHA’s proposed reduction in silica exposure levels may cost construction firms a lot of money.

OSHA’s notice of proposed rulemaking for respirable silica has officially been published in the Federal Register, which ushers in the next phase of the process: public input. The public is strongly encouraged to participate in the process of developing a final rule.

With a little fanfare, OSHA announced August 23 a proposed rule that would reduce exposure to silica. The proposed rule, encompassing nearly 800 pages, would reduce the exposure limit to silica to 50 micrograms of respirable crystalline silica per cubic meter, half of what is currently in place.

It’s been such a long time since OSHA issued a major standards proposal covering millions of workers, such as its recent silica dust proposed rule, it’s fair to ask: Are the standards floodgates opening? (I’m not counting hazcom revised/GHS, which was more or less forced on the U.S. and OSHA by globalization.)

Among those who will be directly affected by OSHA’s proposed rule on crystalline silica exposures will be small businesses and their employees in industries like dental laboratories, foundries, and construction.

OSHA's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica has been submitted for publication in the Federal Register. The NPRM is OSHA's formal notice of regulatory action related to Occupational Exposure to Crystalline Silica. This is a proposal, not a final rule.

The Senate’s grudging confirmation of Tom Perez as Secretary of Labor was the first piece of good news working people have had out of the federal government for quite some time.

In a letter sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) last week, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) blasted the agency for failing to complete its review of OSHA’s proposed crystalline silica standard and other regulatory items within the legally mandated time frame.