News Release

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OSHA News Release: [09/19/2008]
Contact Name: Sharon Worthy or David Sims
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676 or x1898
Release Number: 08-1339-NAT

U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA sets public hearing on personal protective equipment and employee training requirements

Agency invites public comment on proposed revisions

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will hold a public hearing Oct. 6 and 7 to receive comments on its proposal to clarify the remedies available for violations of its personal protective equipment (PPE) and employee training requirements. The hearing will be held at the U.S. Department of Labor's Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Ave. N.W., Conference Room C-5320 #6, in Washington, D.C.

OSHA encourages all interested members of the public to participate. A notice of hearing is available at http://federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2008-21852_PI.pdf and includes instructions for submitting a required notice of intention to appear by no later than Sept. 26.

The proposed revisions are to implement OSHA's longstanding position that its PPE and training standards impose a separate compliance duty to each employee covered by the PPE or training requirements. An employer who violates one of these provisions commits a separate violation for each employee who is not trained or does not receive the proper PPE.

In this proposal, OSHA seeks to amend its PPE and training standards to clarify the nature of the employer's obligation to each employee and to conform with the language that the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission has approved as the basis for per-employee citations. More information about the proposal may be found in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published in the Aug. 19 edition of the Federal Register (73 FR 48335).

Members of the public with questions about the hearing may contact Veneta Chatmon at 202-693-1999.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to promote the safety and health of America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual process improvement in workplace safety and health. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

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