OSHA confirms effective date of updated standards

The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced in the Federal Register that it has issued a notice to confirm the effective date of its direct final rule on updated OSHA standards based on National Consensus Standards.

"This rule is part of OSHA's ongoing effort to update its regulatory references to consensus standards," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke Jr. "The revised standards will eliminate duplicative and confusing references in OSHA regulations while maintaining current levels of protection."

In the direct final rule, OSHA is eliminating several references to consensus standards that have requirements which duplicate or are comparable to other OSHA rules. It also removes a reference to American Welding Society standard A3.0-1969 ("Terms and Definitions").

Additionally, the direct final rule updates standards such as 29 CFR part 1910, subpart H ("Hazardous Materials"), 29 CFR part 1910, subpart Q ("Welding, Cutting and Brazing"), 29 CFR part 1910, subpart R ("Special Industries").

This direct final rule, published in the December 14, 2007, Federal Register (72 FR 71061) was effective March 13, 2008.