OSHA chief David Michaels is asking workplace health experts to advise the agency on several conceptual options to address what the agency believes are outdated permissible exposure limits (PELs): eliminating Z-tables in favor of control banding; using the OSH Act general duty clause in cases where employers may know exposure levels are too high; requiring levels consistent with manufacturers' advice; and requiring employers to evaluate exposure scenarios under the European chemical hazard regulatory regime.
December 27, 2025