OSHA: What's coming in 2014?

MBLR OSHA: What's coming in 2014? From silica exposure to confined spaces in construction, OSHA's regulatory agenda for 2014 includes important proposals, final rules, and prerules that all employers should know about. OSHA 1) CONFINED SPACES IN CONSTRUCTION 2) INJURY AND ILLNESS RECORDING AND REPORTING CHANGES DANGER Construction employers will have to determine whether confined spaces exist at a jobsite, classify their hazards, and manage hazards accordingly. CONENED SAE ENTER T PERE IN FINAL RULE EXPECTED IN EARLY 2014 Update to list of industries that are partially exempt from the recordkeeping requirements Revisions to reporting requirements: Employers will be required to report all work-related in-patient hospitalizations, fatalities, and amputations within 24 hours. 3) ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF INJURY AND ILLNESS RECORDKEEPING DATA Certain large employers already required to keep injury and illness records would be required to submit recordkeeping data to OSHA electronícally. Some data would be made public. PUBLIC MEETING ON PROPOSAL SCHEDULED JANUARY 9, 2014 FINAL RULE EXPECTED IN APRIL 2014 4) ELECTRIC POWER TRANSMISSION 5) SLIPS AND FALLS-PERSONAL FALL AND DISTRIBUTION-ELECTRICAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT PROTECTION SYSTEMS Will incorporate personal fall protection systems into the Walking and Working Surfaces rule (29 CFR 1910.23) to reflect new technologies FINAL RULE EXPECTED IN JUNE 2014 Update to electrical protective requirements for foot protection Update to aerial lift fll protection requirements for electrical installations 6) EXPOSURE TO RESPIRABLE HEARINGS SCHEDULED TO CRYSTALLINE SILICA BEGIN MARCH 18, 2014 READY FOR FINAL ACTION; NO CONFIRMED ÉFFECTIVE DATE YET Would reduce permissible exposure limit for crystalline silica to 8-hour time-weighted average of 50 micrograms per Requirements for cubic meter of air | monitoring, training, and medical surveillance 7) INJURY AND ILLNESS 8) COMBUSTIBLE DUST PREVENTION PROGRAMS Combustible dust standard for general industry in development OSHA is working on a proposal to require employers to děvelop formal injury and illness prevention programs, or 12P25." Will be modeled after regulations already in place in California and several other statés NO PROPOSED RULE ISSUED YET 12P2 NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING EXPECTED IN SEPTEMBER 2014 9) CRANE OPERATOR CERTIFICATION 10) EXPOSURE TO BERYLLIUM OSHA is working on a new standard for beryllium, a metal used in many industries, that would reduce the permissible exposure limit. Existing employer requirements to ensure crane operator competency have been extended until November 2017. The enforcement date for crane operators to be certified has also been extended until November 2017. NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING EXPECTED IN APRIL 2014 OSHA may issue a separate rulemaking initiative addressing crane operator qualifications. Prerules on the horizon... Infectious Diseases Determine whether a comprehensive standard for preventing infectious disease in the workplace is necessary Bloodborne Pathogens Determine the need for the standard based on overlap with other regulations and changes in conditions since the standard was implemented Review of Chemical Standards Analyze permissible exposure limits (PELS) to determine candidates for possible revision Reinforced Concrete in Construction; Preventing Backover Injuries and Fatalities Seeking information on preventing injuries from backover incidents and whether current standards adequately address the hazards of reinforced concrete in construction Standards Improvement Project Identify unnecessary or duplicative provisions or paperwork requirements Sources: www.osha.gov www.reginfo.gov http://Safety.BLR.com Follow us on Twitter! LBLR @BLR_EHS @SafetyDailyAdv