Document 7Oo3XzmaKavLkwk8Y7EJoMx98

Editor: Mary P. Kilcoyne G-ll February 13, 1981 FEDERAL LEVEL OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION Identification, Classification and Regulation of Potential Occupational^j&argssafcaaa, ""Conforming Detetions - (Final Rule- ~ (Federal Register, January 19, 19817TP 48,8.9-93 ;--attached) Proposed Amendments (Federal Register, January 23, 1981, pp.7402-8, attached) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration January 19 pub lished revisions to its cancer policy designed to bring the stand ard into conformity with the Supreme Court's benzene decision. On January 23 OSHA proposed additions to the language of the policy, incorporating the "significant risk" concept contained in the Court's July 1980 ruling. The revisions announced Jan. 19, which are scheduled to take ef fect Feb. 18, delete references to reducing workplace carcinogen exposure " to the lowest feasible level," OSHA stated in the notice: "No automatic setting of exposures at the lowest feasible level will occur." The rule also deleted sentences and phrases in the policy that could be interpreted as allowing the secretary of labor to take regulatory actions, including the issuance of emergency temporary standards for certain carcinogens, without considering whether a substance poses a "significant risk." Limitations on the evidence to be considered in setting exposure limits are deleted, freeing the secretary to consider data on the "gravity of danger" posed by an identified carcinogen, according to the notice. (continued) vvc 000009609 THE SOAP AND DETERGENT ASSOCIATION 475 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10016 (212) 725-1262