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OSHA to Phase In New Directive for Residential
Construction
OSHA announced June 9 that it would give residential construction employers three months to comply with a new agency
directive requiring residential construction workers to be provided with fall protection. The directive is available at
www.osha.gov/doc/residential_fall_protection.html along with
guidance on residential fall protection.
The phase-in period lasts until Sept.
15. Until this date, employers who are in
compliance with the old directive (STD
03-00-001) will not be cited. OSHA will
instead issue a hazard alert letter informing the employer of the feasible
methods they can use to comply with
OSHA’s fall protection standard or implement a written fall protection plan.
Employers whose practices do not meet
the requirements in the old directive will
receive citations.
In April, OSHA released a guidance
document on fall protection in residential construction that illustrates work practices employers can use to comply with
OSHA’s Fall Protection in Construction standard. Highlighted
methods for preventing fall-related injuries and deaths include
the use of anchors for personal fall arrest systems and fall restraints, safety net systems, guardrails, ladders and scaffolds for
activities such as installing roof sheathing and weatherproofing
a roof. The guidance document is available at www.osha.gov/
doc/guidance.pdf.
A list of references and additional resources for identifying
and eliminating fall hazards can be found on the OSHA web
page “Fall Protection—Construction” at www.osha.gov/SLTC/
fallprotection/ construction.html.
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Safe Chemicals Act Introduced in Senate
On April 14, U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011, an
update to the Toxic Substances Control Act
of 1976 (TSCA) that would, for the first
time, require chemical manufacturers to
ensure the safety of industrial chemicals
used in everyday household products.
Lautenberg, chairman of the Environment
and Public Works (EPW) Committee, first introduced the legislation in 2010.
The Safe Chemicals Act of 2011 would require that all industrial chemicals go through safety testing in order to be placed
or remain on the market. Currently, EPA can order safety testing only after receiving evidence that a chemical may pose a
health risk. The new legislation would also require EPA to categorize chemicals based on risks, direct its resources to chemicals likely to render the most harm, and take swift action to
minimize risks from chemicals already deemed hazardous. In
addition, the Act would institute a public database to catalog
chemical information submitted by EPA and develop grant programs and research centers to create chemical alternatives and
introduce new chemicals to the market using an accelerated review process. The text of the legislation is available at
http://lautenberg.senate.gov/assets/SafeChem.pdf.
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EPA Addresses Health Risks Linked to Chemicals Used
in Sealants, Spray Foams
On April 13, EPA announced action plans to address the potential health hazards of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI),
toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and related compounds found in
spray foams and sealants. These products, which can contain
untreated or “uncured” diisocyantes, are
often used by consumers in spray foam
insulation, sealing concrete, or finishing
floors.
Known to cause breathing difficulties
and negative skin reactions in workers
frequently exposed to them, diisocyanates are the leading cause of work-related asthma and have even led to
worker fatalities. OSHA PELs regulate
workplace exposure to diisocyantes; however, there is a lack of
information concerning consumer exposure to products containing uncured MDI and TDI.
EPA announced that it will investigate past allegations of
harmful health effects due to exposure to these chemicals, ob-
tain unpublished health and safety data from industry sources,
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