OSHA Finalizes Further Delay of the Occupational Exposure to Beryllium Rule’s Effective Date (US)

In the March 21, 2017 Federal Register, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finalized the further delay of the Occupational Exposure to Beryllium rule’s implementation. As a result, the beryllium rule’s effective date is now May 20, 2017; the beryllium rule’s compliance dates, however, remain unchanged by the extension of the rule’s effective date. The purpose of the additional delay is to allow OSHA officials to further review and consider the rule prior to its implementation.

This additional delay was proposed by OSHA in the Federal Register published on March 2 (82 FR 12318), and this week’s rule changes the beryllium rule’s effective date to May 20, 2017 from March 21, 2017.

The beryllium rule was published in the Federal Register on January 9, 2017 (82 FR 2470) with an original effective date of March 10, 2017. Both the previous delay of the beryllium rule’s implementation (82 FR 8901) and the new additional delay were made in accordance with the Presidential Directive expressed in the January 20, 2017 memorandum entitled “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review,” which was published in the Federal Register on January 24, 2017 (82 FR 8346).

Sources :

Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), Occupational Exposure to Beryllium; Further Delay of Effective Date, 82 FR 14439 (March 21, 2017).