November 4, 2009—The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has taken action in recent weeks on worker safety during steel erection, the hazards of combustible dust, and the effectiveness of state safety programs.
OSHA revised the steel erection compliance directive for the agency’s Steel Erection Standard to change two enforcement policies related to tripping hazards and installation of nets or floors during steel erection. Visit the directive (.pdf file) for more information on these policy changes.
OSHA also published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) in the October 21 edition of the Federal Register as an initial step in development of a standard to address the hazards of combustible dust. OSHA has been conducting a Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP) since October 2007; a status report is available on OSHA’s Combustible Dust Safety and Health Topics page.
The NEP has reportedly resulted in an unusually high number of general duty clause violations, indicating a strong need for a combustible dust standard to effectively protect workers. The public has 90 days to comment on the proposed ANPR.
In addition, OSHA conducted an evaluation of Nevada’s state occupational safety and health program, and issued a report that reveals a number of serious concerns with the program’s operation. The report raised concerns about OSHA’s monitoring of all state plans. OSHA encourages states to develop and operate their own job safety and health programs, and strongly supports them, but acting OSHA administrator Jordan Barab said OSHA will strengthen the oversight, monitoring, and evaluation of all state programs.
