April 30, 2003—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has scheduled an informal public hearing in Washington, DC, July 8-9 to discuss the agency’s proposed rule on the second phase of the Standards Improvement Project. OSHA is scheduling the informal hearing in response to requests from a number of interested parties who made comments to the revisions, first proposed in October 2002.
The project addresses 40 provisions in 23 health standards for general industry, maritime, and construction that are inconsistent, duplicative, or outdated. The changes in the standards are expected to reduce the regulatory burdens on employers while maintaining the safety and health protections afforded to workers.
OSHA first made several substantive revisions in 1998 to its health and safety standards. The agency has since identified other regulatory provisions involving notification of use, frequency of exposure monitoring and medical surveillance, and similar provisions that may be unnecessary or ineffective in protecting worker safety and health.
Interested parties wishing to present testimony at the hearing should notify OSHA not later than June 5, 2003. Notices of intent to appear should be submitted in triplicate to: Docket Office, Docket No. S-778-A, Room N2625, US Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20210. Notices may also be faxed to the Docket Office at 202/693-1648 or submitted electronically to OSHA/E-Comments.
The hearing is open to the public and will be held in the auditorium of the Frances Perkins Building, US Department of Labor.
