TRADE NEWS RELEASE
Jan. 17, 2002
Contact: Susan Hall Fleming
Phone: (202) 693-1999

To assist employers and workers in maintaining a safe and healthful work environment, OSHA has developed new publications on injury and illness recordkeeping, access to medical and exposure records, marine oil spill clean up, shipbreaking and asbestos.

"One of our most important roles is providing assistance," said OSHA Administrator John L. Henshaw. "Creating value around safety and health may take shape in many different ways, and we need to provide tools and information so employers and employees can take appropriate action for their workplaces."

Recordkeeping: It's new, it's improved, and it's easier....helps employers determine if they are covered by the OSHA's new recordkeeping rule that takes effect Jan. 1, 2002. The publication explains the importance of injury and illness records, identifies basic recordkeeping requirements, highlights changes in the rule and includes a resource listing for additional information. See: [http://www.osha-slc.gov/recordkeeping/pub3169text.html]

Access to Medical and Exposure Records briefly explains OSHA requirements permitting workers to obtain medical chemical exposure records that employers maintain. Types of records available to employees and their designated representatives, record maintenance requirements, guidance for employers in providing access to records and sources of further information are included. See: [http://www.osha-slc.gov/Publications/osha3110.pdf]

Training Marine Oil Spill Response Workers Under OSHA's Hazardous Waste and Emergency Response Standard describes the training needed by workers who respond to marine oil spills based upon their various roles in stopping, containing or recovering the spilled material. The brochure explains how OSHA's HAZWOPER standard applies to marine oil spills, identifies potential hazards, reviews a typical oil spill scenario and details appropriate training for workers. See: [http://www.osha-slc.gov/Publications/osha3172.pdf]

Shipbreaking and Amputations are new two-page fact sheets. Shipbreaking lists hazards identified with dismantling obsolete vessels, notes potential sources of the hazards and points to additional information available from OSHA. Amputations identifies hazardous machine components and mechanical motions, lists particularly hazardous jobs and points out safeguards that can protect workers. See: [http://www.osha-slc.gov/OshDoc/data_MaritimeFacts/shipbreaking-factsheet.pdf & [http://www.osha-slc.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/amputation-factsheet.pdf]

All five publications are available on OSHA's website at www.osha.gov. Recordkeeping: It's new, it's improved, and it's easier...., Access to Medical and Exposure Records and Training Marine Oil Spill Response Workers Under OSHA's Hazardous Waste and Emergency Response Standard are also available from OSHA Publications at 1-800-321-OSHA.

The text of this news release is available on the OSHA website at http://www.osha.gov. Information on this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999.