OSHA Delays Compliance Dates for Beryllium Construction and Shipyards Standards
In the September 30, 2019 Federal Register, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) adopted a final rule on occupational exposure to beryllium and beryllium compounds in construction and shipyards. The purpose of this rulemaking is to extend the compliance dates for the construction and shipyards standards to September 30, 2020. This rulemaking has no effect on compliance with the permissible exposure limit (PEL) and the short-term exposure limit (STEL) requirements of the standards, which have been enforced since May 2018. This rule is effective September 30, 2019.
On June 27, 2017, OSHA published a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would in part revoke the ancillary provisions in the beryllium standards for construction and shipyards, while retaining the PEL of 0.2 ug/m3 and the STEL of 2.0 ug/m3. The proposed rule also stated that, while the proposed rule was under consideration, OSHA would not enforce the beryllium rule’s construction and shipyard standards without prior notice.
After review, OSHA is not adopting the proposed revocation of the construction and shipyards standards’ ancillary provisions because OSHA determined that there is not complete overlap in protections between the standards’ ancillary provisions and other OSHA standards. Instead, OSHA will proceed with a new proposal to amend the standards at a later date.
Source:
OSHA Final Rule, Occupational Exposure to Beryllium and Beryllium Compounds in Construction and Shipyard Sectors (Sept. 30, 2019) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/09/30/2019-21037/occupational-exposure-to-beryllium-and-beryllium-compounds-in-construction-and-shipyard-sectors
