Regulatory & Standards


FAA Proposes Revised Rules for Commercial Space Launches

The rule follows the National Space Council's 2018 "Space Policy Directive 2" that called on DOT to review and revise the department's commercial space launch and re-entry licensing regulations.

Welders should not weld in confined spaces without ventilation, and they may require respiratory protection if ventilation and the work practices being employed fail to reduce exposures to safe levels.

Welders' Protection By the Book

The protective measures and equipment that welders require are spelled out in OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.252, the welding, cutting, and brazing standard.

ISO Technical Report Helps Assess Nanomaterials' Environmental Impacts

ANSI noted that, among the essential topics pertaining to environmental safety, the Technical Report provides useful information on how investigators should respond to several questions or issues that commonly arise.

DOT to Form Special Committee to Review FAA Aircraft Certification Process

The Department of Transportation announced Monday the establishment of an expert Special Committee to review the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) process for the certification of new aircraft, including the Boeing 737 MAX.

DOT clearly has jurisdiction over the truck on the highway, but OSHA regulations generally govern workers’ safety and health and the responsibilities of employers to ensure their safety at the warehouse, the dock, and in all places trucker drivers go to deliver and pick up loads.

FMCSA Helping Stakeholders Prepare for Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

Commercial Driver's License holders, employers, state driver licensing agencies, medical review officers, and substance abuse professionals will begin using the agency's CDL Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse in January 2020.

FCC Proposal to Help Responders Locate 911 Callers in Multi-Story Buildings

The commission proposed a vertical location accuracy metric of plus or minus 3 meters relative to the handset for 80 percent of indoor wireless 911 calls, tentatively concluding that location accuracy metric—within 3 meters above or below the phone—would be sufficiently accurate to identify the caller's floor level in most cases and would be technically feasible under the timeframes established in the Enhanced 911 rules.

CSB Highlights Importance of Following Standards

Incidents cited in the Safety Spotlight document include the BP Texas City refinery explosion and fire, ConAgra Foods and Kleen Energy natural gas explosions, and the Imperial Sugar combustible dust disaster in Georgia in February 2008. Each example discusses standards or guidelines that were developed following the incident.

Modified FDA Policy Means Some Flavored eCigarettes Won't Be Sold

FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb said FDA intends to review comments on the draft compliance policy and finalize it as fast as possible. He said FDA expects the policy changes to mean some flavored e-cigarette products and flavored cigars will no longer be sold at all. Other flavored e-cigarette products that continue to be sold will be sold only in a manner that prevents youth access.



ISEA Releases New Glove Standard on Impact Performance

While standards for industrial gloves that protect hands from cuts, punctures, abrasions, and chemical exposure have long existed, ANSI/ISEA 138 is the first standard to address the risk to hands from impact injuries in North America.

New Chairs Announced for Z359, A10 Standards Committees

Thomas Kramer, P.E., CSP, is the new chair of the Z359 Fall Protection Committee and John Johnson, CSP, is the new chair of the A10 Safety Requirements for Construction and Demolition Operations Committee. Both will serve three-year terms that can be reaffirmed for longer periods of service by the committees.

The sixth annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is set for May 6-10, 2019. Falls from height cause more than one-third of U.S. construction deaths.

Far Too Many Fatal Falls

The latest BLS CFOI data showed 747 construction trades workers died in 2017, and that fatal falls were at their highest level in the 26-year history of the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

Any person who may be exposed to the electrical energy should be party to the LOTO procedure.

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO): Electrical Safety Simplified

LOTO is an integral part of the electrical safety requirements contained in the NFPA 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace.

Safe Work Australia Seeks Comments on Silica, Coal Dust Exposure Standards

Safe Work Australia is asking for comments on the draft evaluation reports and recommendations for respirable crystalline silica and respirable coal dust by April 30, saying it will consider them when making final recommendations regarding the workplace exposure standards.

Revised ISO 26262 Standards Now Available from ANSI

ISO 26262 -- Road Vehicles Functional Safety was significantly revised in 2018, with the 10 parts of the family of standards existing then being revised from their 2011 editions and two new standards being added.

The two DOT agencies are conducting audits, and PHMSA is making unannounced inspections, to ensure railroads

DOT Agencies Requiring Spill Response Plans for HHFTs

The final rule requires railroads to develop and submit Comprehensive Oil Spill Response Plans for route segments traveled by High Hazard Flammable Trains that are transporting petroleum oil in a block of 20 or more loaded tank cars and also trains that have a total of 35 loaded petroleum oil tank cars.

NYC Department of Buildings Sets May Conference Date

This year's build safe│live safe Conference on Friday, May 10, will be a daylong series of seminars in which department experts discuss industry trends and highlight safe construction operations.

Enforcement Guidance Issued for Crane Operator Evaluations

OSHA is enforcing the requirement that employers must evaluate their operators before allowing them to operate cranes independently, but it will offer compliance assistance rather than enforcement until April 15, for employers who have evaluated operators in accordance with the final rule and are making good-faith efforts to comply with the new documentation requirement.

Thermal Fatigue Probable Cause of Enterprise Products Explosion: CSB

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released its final report on the June 27, 2016, explosion and fire at the Enterprise Products Pascagoula Gas Plant in Pascagoula, Miss., with recommendations to two trade associations to include information on the potential for minor leaks and catastrophic failure of brazed aluminum heat exchangers.

Colorado Agency Holding Feb. 14 Public Hearing on Revised Explosives Regulations

The regulations cover permits and the storage, transportation, and use of explosive materials. They would take effect May 1, 2019.

NTSB Issues Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements for 2019-2020

"The 2019–2020 Most Wanted List advocates for 46 specific safety recommendations that can and should be implemented during these next two years," said NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt. "It also features broad, longstanding safety issues that still threaten the traveling public."

Featured

Artificial Intelligence

Webinars