OSHA held an informal public meeting Jan. 9 and 10 in Washington, D.C., to receive public feedback on a听proposed rule听that would require employers to submit to the agency electronically detailed injury and illness data that would be made publicly available through an online database. Employer groups, including the ABC-led Coalition for Workplace Safety (CWS), took the opportunity to express serious concerns over OSHA鈥檚 proposal.听

According to OSHA鈥檚 latest semiannual regulatory agenda, released Nov. 27, the agency plans to issue a final rule on confined spaces and a notice of proposed rulemaking on injury and illness prevention programs (I2P2) in 2014. The regulatory agenda lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release this year; however, OSHA is not required to adhere to the timeline.

On Nov.8, OSHA听proposed a rule听that would require employers to submit specific injury and illness data electronically to OSHA on a quarterly or annual basis.听

Employers have until Dec. 1 to train their employees on the changes made to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Global Harmonization Standard (GHS) including the new 鈥淪afety Data Sheets鈥� (SDS). 听

On Oct. 25, OSHA听announced听a 47-day extension of the public comment deadline for OSHA鈥檚 proposed crystalline silica rulemaking from Dec. 11 to Jan. 27. More than 25 business organizations, including ABC, the Construction Industry Safety Coalition and others in the industry, requested additional time for stakeholders to appropriately analyze OSHA鈥檚 proposal, develop useful data and provide meaningful feedback. Also requesting extensions were the House Education and the Workforce Committee, Small Business Committee and the U.S. Small Business Administration鈥檚 Office of Advocacy. Most requests,听including ABC鈥檚, asked for 90 days

The DOL on July 3 released its spring regulatory agenda outlining the activities of its sub-agencies for the remainder of 2013, including OSHA. The regulatory agenda lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release this year; however, OSHA is not required to adhere to the timeline.听

OSHA has begun its annual听national outreach initiative听to educate workers and employers about the hazards of heat illness. The campaign includes educational materials on heat illness in English and Spanish, resources for conducting training in the workplace and an听app for mobile devices.

OSHA June 13 issued a听direct final rule听to update the construction signage standards by adding references to the latest versions of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) consensus standards on specifications for accident prevention signs and tags. The rule retains the existing references to the earlier ANSI standards, which allows employers the option to either comply with the updated or earlier standards.

OSHA听announced on June 25听that it will be conducting a new National Emphasis Program on occupational exposure to isocyanates, which are used in materials including paints, varnishes, auto body repair, and building insulation.听

OSHA has released a new bilingual English-Spanish booklet as part of their national campaign to prevent fatal falls titled, 鈥淔alling Off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely.鈥澨�