Document zz3E5xqEazKZaQOXG67qmzo3a

TO: Safety Directors FROM: DATE: T. G. Grumbles July 2, 1987 BNA OSHA REPORTER VISTA I currently review the OSHA Reporter on a weekly basis and send articles that appear to be of interest and impact Vista operations to you. That decision is "one man's opinion". In the future we'll leave the decision of what's interesting to you. I'll be sending the cover page, which gives a brief description of the contents, to you on a weekly basis. If you see something you'd like further details on, call me or Jackie O'Connell at X3451 and she'll copy the article for you. This practice was suggested by Keith Fogg, and I believe it will be helpful to all. I'll continue to send what I think is important. T. G. Grumbles aj o /200 Attachment cc WLM vw 000008779 < 1'l iT\ & ^ iY OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH REPORTER A weekly review of occupational safety and health developments Volume 17, Number 3 THE BUREAU OF NATIONAL AFFAIRS, INC. June 17, 1987 HIGHLIGHTS OF CURRENT REPORT THE LATEST DRAFT PROPOSAL to expand the hazard communication standard hangs in lim bo as the Occupational Safety and Health Admin istration and the departments of Labor and Jus tice debate the options open to them in the face of a May 29 court order to simply expand the existing rule by July. The latest draft describes in detail the changes OSHA wants to make in the standard based on its experience with the current rule (p. 83; text, p. 108). A BNA SPECIAL REPORT on reproductive hazards finds that the spread of new technologies and a growing increase in the number of women in the work force create new concern about hazards to pregnant workers at a time when little is really known about such risks and few govern ment regulations exist (p. 97). OSHA MANAGEMENT CHANGES recom mended in a consultants' report are endorsed by the Administrative Conference of the United States despite a plea by the safety agency and the Labor Department to postpone a decision (p. 83). WORKER RISK NOTIFICATION BILLS cur rently pending in Congress are feasible, consist ent with existing law, and do not duplicate exist ing federal standards, a General Accounting Office report finds (p. 84) ... The sponsor of one bill defends his measure at a hearing by the Senate Small Business Committee (p. 85). THE PLANNED RESUMPTION of concurrent federal safety and health jurisdiction in Califor nia was expected but not applauded by the AFLCIO, which still hopes that funding for the state program will be included in a final state budget this summer, a labor official says (p. 85). CANCER HAZARDS TO HAIRDRESSERS from methylene chloride are alleged by the Unit ed Food and Commercial Workers Union in a petition calling on Labor Secretary William E. Brock to immediately extend the hazard commu nication standard (p. 87). RECORDKEEPING BY IBP INC. should be examined by the Nebraska attorney general's office to determine if the meatpacking company is in criminal violation of workers' compensation laws, the food workers union says. In a related matter, OSHA says it will investigate records at a second IBP facility {p. 87). OSHA INSPECTION RECORDS reflecting the identities and statements of employee witnesses, the compliance officer's notes, and correspon dence between regional OSHA and solicitor's of fice personnel are exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, a federal court rules (p. 88). POWER PRESS AMPUTATIONS are still oc curring with "alarming frequency," the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says in urging further steps to protect workers (p. 89). CLOSING ARGUMENTS ARE MADE in Manville Corp.'s suit in U.S. Claims Court against the federal government over asbestos claims paid out to World War II shipyard workers (p. 89). EXCAVATION STANDARD CHANGES pro posed in April will remain open for public com ment for another four months (p. 90). MARKETPLACE INCENTIVES are a stronger force for promoting workplace safety than gov ernment regulation, an economist with the White House Council of Economic Advisers says (p. 90). CONFINED SPACE ENTRY RULES con UNIFORM WHISTLEBLOWER LAWS are tained in a proposal now "back on schedule" at recommended by the Administrative Conference OSHA would require employers to get a permit to protect persons who fear their employers will before assigning workers to enter most confined retaliate against them for complaining about spaces (p. 86). safety hazards (p. 90). Section 1 Copyright 1987 by The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. 009S-3237J87/SO+.SO VVV 000006780