Dec. 4 Public Hearing on OSHA's Controversial PPE Proposal
OSHA has scheduled a Dec. 4 "informal" public hearing in Washington, D.C., about its proposal to steadily update some PPE standards according to changes in "good design standards." The proposal quickly ran into opposition. OSHA said the 3M Company, the American National Standards Institute, ASTM International, and the International Safety Equipment Association requested the public hearing.
The proposal would apply to PPE standards that now must meet specific ANSI standards. OSHA wants to remove the references to ANSI standards, replacing them with a requirement to use PPE constructed in accordance with good design standards and adding criteria for determining what constitutes a good design standard, in an acknowledgement that regular updates are too challenging.
Anyone wanting to testify at the hearing must file a written notice by Oct. 1 that includes name, address, phone number, establishment name, occupational title, approximate amount of time required for testimony, brief statement of the position the individual will take, and brief summary of any documentary evidence the individual intends to present, via www.regulations.gov. Identify the notice with docket number OSHA-2007-0044 or RIN number 1218-AC08.