US Osha May Delay Submitting Regulatory Plans for 2017

Agency cannot confirm timings as leader yet to be appointed

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha) may need to delay submitting its regulatory plans for this year as it waits for the head of the US Department of Labor to be confirmed.

“We are in the middle of a transition, so it is hard to pinpoint the timing of certain actions until we have leadership in place,” said Maureen Ruskin, director of the Office of Chemical Hazards/Metals at Osha. She was speaking to delegates attending the Society for Chemical Hazard Communication's spring meeting in New Orleans this week.

The unified federal regulatory agenda, published twice a year in spring and autumn, provides a complete list of all regulatory actions that are under active consideration for promulgation, proposal, or review at over 60 federal departments, agencies and commissions. Osha activities are included in the Department of Labor submission. All plans should be submitted for the spring agenda by 31 March.

Ms Ruskin said the delayed confirmation process may also affect the timing of when the agency updates its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) with the seventh version of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of classification and labelling of chemicals.

“We know what we want to do, but when that will happen is a more difficult question,” said Ms Ruskin.

The Labor Department is one of two federal departments, along with the US Department of Agriculture, awaiting confirmation of a secretary under the new Trump administration.

Alex Acosta, President Trump’s second selection for the post, is currently undergoing the confirmation process. Mr Trump originally nominated Andrew Puzder, who withdrew his candidacy in February after losing support from the Republican party.

Mr Trump then nominated Mr Acosta who has had his confirmation hearing rescheduled several times, causing further delay.