ISEA Government Relations: Short Report, July 2017
Political Leadership at OSHA
Loren Sweatt
, who is currently a staff member on the House Committee on Education
and the Workforce, has been rumored to be the next Deputy Assistant Secretary for OSHA.
This position does not need Senate confirmation. This means she would be leading OSHA
until the Administration nominates and the Senate confirms someone as Assistant Secretary
of Labor for OSHA.
OSHA and NIOSH Funding
The House Appropriations Committee has approved the following OSHA and NIOSH
funding amounts:
NIOSH: $325 M - This is welcome news, since the Administration requested only
$200 M for NIOSH. This amount is a $10 M cut for NIOSH. The amount includes $20 M
for the NIOSH National Personal
Protective Technologies Lab, which is what the Lab
received last year.
OSHA: $531 M - This is about $21 M less than last year. This amount also
includes a $13 M decrease in Federal enforcement and a $1.3 M increase in compliance
assistance programs. There is also an increase for OSHA's health and safety statistics
operation.
OSHA Rules and Regulations Calendar
The Administration's Semi-Annual Regulatory Agenda was published on July 20.
Here are updates about the regulatory projects moving at OSHA:
Standards Improvement Process-IV
Final Rule, September, 2017 - This effort could include language in the construction PPE regulations that PPE fit the wearer. In addition, this rule would reference the 2009 Edition,
and Revision 1 dated May 2012 and Revision 2 dated May 2012 of the Manual for Uniform
Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). These updated versions of the MUTCD calls for
ANSI/ISEA 107 compliance high visibility safety apparel to be worn by workers on all roads, including local
streets, bicycle paths and private roads used by the public.
Communication Tower Safety
Complete the Small Business Review, by August, 2017 - This rule would set safety
standards for those working on communication towers and for
tower owners, and
the r
ange of employer/contractors who build and service the towers,
and the
communication devices on the towers.
Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses
OSHA published a proposed rule to delay implementation of the "Improve Tracking of
Workplace Injuries and Illnesses." The new start date is December 1, 2017.
In addition, OSHA funded new software to administer this rule, which would electronically
collect injury and illness data from employers for public posting.
However, business groups sued OSHA for 'overreach' in Oklahoma federal court, and
OSHA now intends to issue a separate proposal in the fall, to "reconsider, revise, or remove the
provisions of the final rule."
