OSHA Confirms Effective Date of Final Rule to Update Standards

March 20, 2008

OSHA issued a notice confirming that March 13, 2008, is the effective date of its direct final rule on updated OSHA standards based on the National Consensus Standards.

Katherine Torres

According to the direct final rule, this date would change only if OSHA had received significant adverse comment on the revisions by Jan. 14, 2008. The agency did not, however, receive such comments by that deadline.

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

The direct final rule, which applies to general industry, removes a number of references to national consensus standards that have requirements that 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").