A key House Democrat plans to introduce legislation to advance a progressive regulatory reform agenda that includes neutralizing “corporate capture” at OSHA and other agencies, aiming to start debate on a counterpoint to GOP and industry calls for regulatory reform bills that might hinder efforts to pursue novel regulatory policies.
Facing a court deadline, the Trump administration has issued a final rule that codifies its earlier plans to strengthen its standards identifying hazards contractors and others face from lead paint dust in residences while declining to adopt a new definition of “lead paint,” an approach that appears likely to draw a suit from groups who criticized the proposed version of the plans.
Environmentalists say the Trump administration’s just-announced monthslong delay of its self-imposed deadline for finalizing a rollback of an Obama-era rule tightening facility safety Risk Management Plan (RMP) requirements may suggest the plan is “dead in the water” as it signals ongoing legal doubts about undoing the changes.
Labor attorneys say the OSHA review commission’s “landmark” ruling upholding the agency's use of General Duty Clause authority to address a fatal workplace violence incident is a precursor to OSHA issuing a workplace violence standard, and that until then, companies should take steps to avoid potential citation.
OSHA is considering expanding its so-called “lockout/tagout” safety standard governing excess energy in power equipment to allow control circuit type devices -- such as push buttons and selector switches -- to be used to shutter equipment and to extend the standard to robotic equipment, which is increasingly being used in manufacturing.
OSHA has issued its long-awaited final rule amending a series of existing standards to remove or revise duplicative, unnecessary, and inconsistent requirements though, as expected, the measure drops an Obama-era plan to expand when OSHA’s so-called “lockout/tagout” safety standard applies to power equipment that is shut off for repairs.
An Arizona-based group is stepping up its effort to have a federal appellate court overturn the Congressional Review Act (CRA), the law Republicans and President Donald Trump used to repeal a suite of Obama-era worker safety policies issued by OSHA.
The White House has completed review of a draft final rule that will remove or revise duplicative, unnecessary, and inconsistent safety and health standards though the measure is not expected to include an Obama-era plan to expand when OSHA’s safety standard applies to power equipment that is shut off for repairs.
EPA has expanded the number of renewed asbestos uses for which manufacturers would have to seek agency approval though its final significant new use rule (SNUR), issued under the revised Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), still falls short of calls from some states and environmentalists for even broader restrictions or a total ban.
An Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) has upheld a penalty OSHA imposed on a healthcare facility under its General Duty authority for not adequately addressing workplace violence, highlighting the issue just as House Democrats prepare to push newly reintroduced legislation requiring the agency to craft a workplace violence standard.