Government Safety Regulations

RSS

Combustible dust, mine safety and silica are some of the subject of bills that are currently making their way through – or are stuck in – the legislative and regulatory pipelines. Aaron Trippler, Government Affairs Director for the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), provides a rundown in his “Happenings on the Hill:”

Respirator manufacturers, industries that rely on NIOSH-approved respiratory equipment and other stakeholders can present information on the potential impacts of a proposed amendment to the Respirator Certification Fees rule at an upcoming public meeting.

Felony charges for some violations and higher penalties for others are among the provisions in a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Patty Murry (D-Wash.). If enacted, Senate Bill 665 -- the Protecting America’s Workers Act (PAWA) – would make significant changes in the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The proposed rule to lower the permissible exposure limit for crystalline silica got dusted off earlier this month after a long period of inactivity at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Stakeholders who are interested in contributing their opinions to OSHA’s Cranes and Derricks in Construction standard are invited to a meeting on April 3, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C. (Two meetings already scheduled for April 2 and 3 are full.)

President Obama yesterday announced the nomination of Thomas E. Perez to be the next secretary of labor. If confirmed, Perez, who currently heads up the Civil Rights Division at the Justice Department, would replace Hilda L. Solis, who stepped down in January.

With $4.6 trillion in cuts proposed over the next decade, it’s difficult to predict what effect Rep. Paul Ryan’s ambitious GOP budget plan would have on specific programs and agencies, such as OSHA, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

While there’s been no official announcement yet by President Obama, a number of news sources are naming Thomas E. Perez as the likely nominee to be the next secretary of labor. Perez, 51, is assistant U.S. attorney general for civil rights.

Letter sent to the Honorable Tom Petri, United States House of Representatives by Allan K. Fleeger, CIH, CSP, president of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA). RE: HR632 – Voluntary Protection Program