OSHA's plan to codify its controversial enforcement policy that narrows a long-standing exemption from its process safety management (PSM) standard for retailers is prompting strong criticism from industry groups in Congress and the courts, suggesting continuing battles over the issue.

Facing an almost certain legal challenge from industry groups, OSHA chief David Michaels is offering a broad legal and policy defense of the agency's new rule requiring facilities to report worker injury data, arguing the measure is legally justified and will encourage employers to provide safer workplaces, despite industry assertions that the publicizing such data will deter injury reporting.

OSHA appears poised to issue its controversial electronic recordkeeping and reporting rule, one of only two rules the agency is expected to issue before the end of the Obama administration, after the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB) approved the measure April 29.

New federal health and safety data showing an increase in the number of workplace injury and deaths is prompting new calls from labor and other advocates for policymakers to strengthen OSHA's policies and practices, including issuance of long-awaited standards, increased enforcement and inspection funds and stepped up focus on immigrant, temporary and older workers, as well as those in the public and oil & gas sectors.

Facing industry litigation and congressional criticisms, OSHA has delayed until the end of the 2016 fiscal year implementation of its controversial policy for determining threshold concentrations for when some so-called Appendix A chemicals are subject to the agency's process safety management (PSM) standard for highly hazardous chemicals.

New OSHA guidelines for occupational safety and health management programs and industry-led OSH standards will be the topic of discussion at OSHA and industry events this week.

OSHA will seek public input on a proposed chemical exposure rule this week, while industry will outline standards for hazard communication and methods to implement new OSHA requirements.

Monday is the final day for the public to submit comments on OSHA’s new Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines, which offer a “proactive approach” to finding and fixing hazards within the workplace and improving communication with employees.

An OSHA committee meets the week of Feb. 15 to discuss a number of occupational safety and health issues, while an industry-led webcast will focus on preventing workplace injury with protective clothing.

The comment periods for several OSHA rules and initiatives close this week, while several industry webinars examine recordkeeping and reporting rules.