WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is proposing a revised ruling to the personal protective equipment (PPE) sections of its general industry, shipyard employment, longshoring and marine terminals standards regarding the use of eye and face protective devices, and head and foot protection.
"PPE must be strong enough to protect employees from the hazards they face in the workplace. It also must be constructed and tested in accordance with sound and accepted principles that will ensure the safety of employees," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.
These proposed revisions are part of OSHA’s efforts to replace existing references to specific, out-of-date consensus standards with performance language that requires PPE to be constructed in accordance with good design standards.
OSHA is also proposing to delete paragraphs in its ventilation standard, as well as its welding, cutting and brazing standard that currently reference outdated PPE consensus standards.
The public is invited to submit comments on the proposed rule by July 16, 2007.
