The Federal Register

Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories; Expansions of Recognitions:

Tue, Mar 26 2013 11:00:00 GMT

This notice announces the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's final decision expanding the recognition of TUV Rheinland of North America, Inc., as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory under 29 CFR 1910.7.

Permanent Variance Applications:

Thu, Mar 21 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Since 1973, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has granted permanent variances to a number of chimney construction companies from the provisions of the OSHA standards that regulate boatswain's chairs and hoist towers, specifically paragraph (o)(3) of 29 CFR 1926.452 and paragraphs (c)(1) through (c)(4), (c)(8), (c)(13), (c)(14)(i), and (c)(16) of 29 CFR 1926.552. These variances use temporary personnelhoisting systems to transport workers to and from worksites in a personnel cage while constructing tapered chimneys using formwork techniques and procedures. Recently, the Agency received applications from 15 employers for a variance addressing chimney and chimneyrelated construction that, like the previous variances, propose to use temporary personnelhoisting systems to transport workers to and from worksites in a personnel cage. These variance applications, however, included conditions that address construction of chimneys and chimneyrelated structures using temporary hoisti

Mon, Mar 4 2013 11:00:00 GMT

With this notice, OSHA is revoking twenty-four (24) obsolete variances. Between 1975 and 1977, OSHA granted permanent variances to 24 companies engaged in the construction of cylindrical steel tanks. The variances specified several conditions that served as an alternative means of compliance to the fallingobjectprotection and fallprotection requirements of the standard governing general requirements for scaffolds in effect during this period. In 1996, OSHA revised its scaffolds standards for construction to include provisions that essentially duplicated the conditions specified by these variances. Therefore, OSHA believes the alternative means of compliance granted by the variances is no longer necessary and is revoking the variances.

Based on comments received in response to a December 19, 2011, notice proposing to revoke these variances (76 FR 78698), on August 7, 2012, OSHA published a notice in the Federal Register correcting several cross references in OSHA's scaffolds standards for co

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and

Thu, Feb 28 2013 11:00:00 GMT

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements specified in the Benzene Standard (29 CFR 1910.1028).

Wed, Feb 27 2013 11:00:00 GMT

This document provides the interim final regulations governing the employee protection (whistleblower) provision of section 1558 of the Affordable Care Act, which added section 18C of the Fair Labor Standards Act, to provide protections to employees of health insurance issuers or other employers who may have been subject to retaliation for reporting potential violations of the law's consumer protections (e.g., the prohibition on denials of insurance due to preexisting conditions) or affordability assistance provisions (e.g., access to health insurance premium tax credits). This interim rule establishes procedures and time frames for the handling of retaliation complaints under section 18C, including procedures and time frames for employee complaints to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), investigations by OSHA, appeals of OSHA determinations to an administrative law judge (ALJ) for a hearing de novo, hearings by ALJs, review of ALJ decisions by the Administrative Review Bo

Fri, Feb 15 2013 11:00:00 GMT

CFR Correction

In Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1926, revised as of July 1, 2012, on page 225, in Sec. 1926.152, paragraph (c)(16) is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1926.251 Rigging equipment for material handling.
* * * * *
(c) * * *
(16) Wire rope slings shall have permanently affixed, legible identification markings stating size, rated capacity for the type(s) of hitch(es) used and the angle upon which it is based, and the number of legs if more than one.
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 20133755 Filed 21413; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 150501D

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and

Wed, Feb 13 2013 11:00:00 GMT

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to extend the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) approval of the information collection requirements contained in the Walking and Working Surfaces Standard for General Industry (29 CFR part 1910, subpart D).

Fri, Feb 8 2013 11:00:00 GMT

OSHA is correcting its regulations that were amended by the Hazard Communication Standard final rule, published in the Federal Register on March 26, 2012. The majority of the corrections are to references inadvertently missed in the original publication of the final rule. Other corrections include correcting values or notations in tables, and updating references to terms.

Cranes and Derricks in Construction:

Thu, Feb 7 2013 11:00:00 GMT

OSHA published a direct final rule and a companion notice of proposed rulemaking on November 9, 2012, to broaden the exemption for digger derricks in its construction standard for cranes and derricks. OSHA received a significant adverse comment on the direct final rule and is, therefore, withdrawing the direct final rule. OSHA will issue a final rule at a later date based on the notice of proposed rulemaking.

Wed, Feb 6 2013 11:00:00 GMT

This document provides the interim final text of regulations governing the employee protection (whistleblower) provisions of the Seaman's Protection Act (``SPA'' or ``the Act''), as amended by Section 611 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010. Section 611 transfers to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (``OSHA'' or ``the Agency'') the administration of the whistleblower protections previously enforced solely via a private right of action. This interim rule establishes procedures and time frames for the handling of retaliation complaints under SPA, including procedures and time frames for employee complaints to OSHA, investigations by OSHA, appeals of OSHA determinations to an
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administrative law judge (ALJ) for a hearing de novo, hearings by ALJs, review of ALJ decisions by the Administrative Review Board (ARB) on behalf of the Secretary of Labor (Secretary), and judicial review of the Secretary's final decision. In addition, this interim rule provides the Sec

Meetings:

Fri, Feb 1 2013 11:00:00 GMT

OSHA invites interested parties to attend an informal stakeholder meeting concerning Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) Program policies. The meeting will focus on the following topics: NRTL independence; the NRTL initial application process and timeline; the NRTL renewal process; and, at OSHA's discretion and as time permits, other topics raised by participants or OSHA staff. OSHA plans to use the information gathered at this meeting to explore development of new or revised policies, procedures, or guidelines for the NRTL Program.

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and

Wed, Jan 30 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and

Wed, Jan 23 2013 11:00:00 GMT

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its request for an extension of the information collection requirements specified in its standards on Electrical Protective Equipment (29 CFR 1910.137) and Electric Power Generation, Transmission, and Distribution (29 CFR 1910.269).

Tue, Jan 22 2013 11:00:00 GMT

This document updates a non-mandatory appendix in OSHA's Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories Standard. The nonmandatory appendix is being updated to include the contents of the latest National Academy of Sciences publication entitled, ``Prudent Practices in the Laboratory: Handling and Management of Chemical Hazards,'' 2011 edition. All revisions being made are minor and non substantive.

Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and

Thu, Jan 17 2013 11:00:00 GMT

OSHA solicits public comments concerning its proposal to revise the information collection requirements currently approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for handling of retaliation complaints filed with OSHA under various whistleblower protection statutes and the procedural regulations described in this notice. These regulations contain procedures employees must use to file a complaint with OSHA alleging that their employer violated a whistleblower protection provision contained in certain statutes that generally prohibit retaliatory action by employers against employees who engage in activities protected by the statutes. The revised information collection requirements include a new form providing additional methods for employees to submit retaliation complaints to OSHA, including electronic submission.