OSHA News

OSHA announces two informal public hearings on proposed rule on General Working Conditions in Shipyard Employment

(July 11, 2008)-- The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced in the June 30 Federal Register that it will hold two informal public hearings on the proposed rule for General Working Conditions in Shipyard Employment. The first hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 9, 2008, at the Department of Labor’s Frances Perkins Building in Washington, D.C. The second hearing will convene in Seattle, Wash., on Oct. 21, 2008, at 9:30 a.m. The address for the Seattle, Wash., location will be provided in a later Federal Register notice.

"These hearings will provide a forum for interested stakeholders to discuss the proposed rule and ways to improve existing standards on working conditions for employees in shipyard employment," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. "We welcome all input as we continue our efforts to reduce and prevent safety and health hazards in this industry."

The proposed rule revises and updates the existing standards in subpart F of 29 CFR 1915 to address 14 general working conditions in shipyard employment including housekeeping, lighting, sanitation and the control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout). The comment period for this rulemaking closed on March 19, 2008. Those interested in presenting testimony at either hearing must notify OSHA in writing of their intention no later than July 18, 2008. Parties who request more than 10 minutes for their presentations at the hearing and those who will present documentary evidence must provide the agency with copies of their full testimony and all documentary evidence by August 8, 2008.

You may submit your notice of intention using the Federal eRulemaking Portal, www.regulations.gov;

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