[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 18, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-25764]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 18, 1994]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. C-04]

 

Notice of Public Meeting on OSHA's Standards Planning Process

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department 
of Labor.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is 
developing a new standards planning process for standards setting and 
other agency activities. This new system will ensure that the agency's 
limited resources are directed appropriately and result in the 
promulgation of standards and other appropriate agency actions that 
have the maximum public health impact.
    One of the early steps in this process is the solicitation of 
suggestions from interested individuals for workplace hazards or issues 
that might warrant appropriate OSHA action.
    This notice requests such written comments, and announces a public 
meeting to provide an opportunity for interested individuals to 
informally discuss the workplace hazards or issues included on a 
preliminary list of suggestions. Also, in accordance with Executive 
Order 12866, OSHA requests written comments from the public regarding 
how existing OSHA standards can be improved.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Monday, November 21, 1994, in 
room C5515, Seminar Rooms 1A-B of the Frances Perkins Building, 200 
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20210. The meeting will 
begin at 9:30 a.m. and is scheduled to end at 4:45 p.m.

    Requests to Appear: OSHA requests that any person wishing to appear 
at the public meeting notify OSHA in writing. To assume that time is 
provided for oral comments, the request should be received by OSHA no 
later than Monday, November 7, 1994, and should identify the person 
and/or organization intending to appear, address and phone/fax number, 
the amount of time requested, and a brief summary of the comments. OSHA 
also requests that any suggestions for hazards or issues which should 
be included on the OSHA Action List, including comments on existing 
OSHA standards, be submitted to OSHA in writing no later than Monday, 
November 7, 1994. To facilitate discussion at the public meeting, all 
persons who notify OSHA of their intention to appear will receive a 
package of material containing a preliminary list of suggestions, along 
with additional background material prior to the meeting.
    Please send written requests to appear, and any written comments, 
to Sue Andrei at the address listed below. All comments received from 
interested parties will be included in Docket C-04, and available for 
public review in the OSHA Docket Office, Room N2625, 200 Constitution 
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20210, telephone (202) 219-7894.
    Persons with disabilities, who need special accommodations, should 
contact Sue Andrei, by November 16, 1994, at the address indicated 
below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sue Andrei, Directorate of Policy, 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Room N3641, 200 
Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, Telephone (202) 219-
8055, extension 113, FAX (202) 219-4383.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Assistant Secretary has assigned the 
development of priorities under the agency's new standards planning 
process to an internal committee, the Standards Planning Committee. The 
committee will be assisted by experts from other governmental agencies, 
and will seek public input in its decisions. The Assistant Secretary 
retains authority over all decisions for agency action.
    The primary task of the committee is to develop a list of up to 50 
workplace hazards or issues that warrant appropriate OSHA action (the 
``OSHA Action List''). For all of the items on the OSHA Action List, 
the committee will recommend appropriate agency action (e.g., 
rulemaking, revision of existing standards, issuance of a hazard alert, 
enforcement emphasis, consultation, etc.) to the Assistant Secretary 
and the Director of NIOSH, including a subset of up to 20 items (the 
``Regulatory Intent List'') intended for rulemaking.
    The committee sent letters to a broad range of readily identifiable 
stakeholders, including labor and industry groups, professional 
organizations, academia, Occupational Safety and Health State Plan 
Designees, Federal government agencies, and others, soliciting 
suggestions of possible workplace hazards or issues for inclusion on 
the OSHA Action List. Continuing this search for additional stakeholder 
suggestions, the Standards Planning Committee invites all interested 
parties who have not yet been contacted individually to provide written 
comments for the committee's consideration.
    The committee will review all suggestions submitted by the November 
7, 1994, due date and prepare a preliminary list for discussion at the 
public meeting. The purpose of the meeting is to give equal opportunity 
for interested parties to discuss their particular views with OSHA 
concerning which hazards or issues should be included on the OSHA 
Action List.
    When submitting suggestions for hazards or issues to OSHA, please 
include (1) the name of the hazard/issue (these include chemical, 
biological or physical hazards such as chromium, tuberculosis, or 
noise; safety hazards such as unguarded machines; program needs such as 
exposure assessment or medical surveillance); and (2) a brief 
description of the hazard/issue. In making suggestions, the following 
criteria should be considered. (1) How serious is the hazard/issue 
(i.e., what are the possible consequences to exposed employees? Death? 
Loss of limb? Cancer? How likely is it that exposed workers would be 
affected?)? (2) How many workers are exposed? What is the number of 
workers experiencing injury, illness or death due to the hazard (please 
indicate if these numbers are estimates, and if not, the source of the 
data)? What types of workplaces and industries are affected? (3) How 
reliable and accurate is available risk information? (4) What is the 
risk reduction potential of OSHA action (i.e., can agency action be 
reasonably expected to reduce or eliminate exposure to the hazard? What 
risk reduction technologies are available and are technologically and 
economically feasible? Could regulation of the hazard/issue potentially 
force or stimulate technological change?)?
    In making recommendations for which hazards or issues should be 
included on the OSHA Action List, the committee will consider a number 
of factors, including: (1) The seriousness of the hazard; (2) the 
number of exposed workers; (3) the quality of available risk 
information; and (4) risk reduction potential, among others. The 
committee will also consider additional factors in recommending 
specific agency actions, such as: (1) administrative efficiency or 
feasibility; (2) legal feasibility; and (3) other public policy 
considerations. The Regulatory Intent List is a source from which OSHA 
will draw items for its Regulatory Calendar. As final standards are 
published, items from the Regulatory Intent List will be moved up to 
the Regulatory Calendar for rulemaking.
    Persons making timely written requests to speak at the public 
meeting will be given priority for oral comments, as time permits. 
Other persons wishing to speak should register at the meeting from 
8:45-9:15. The Standards Planning Committee will make every effort to 
accommodate individuals wishing to speak at the public meeting.

    Authority: This document was prepared under the direction of 
Joseph A. Dear, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety 
and Health, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., this 12th day of October, 1994.
Joseph A. Dear,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 94-25764 Filed 10-17-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-26-M