Chemical manufacturers and others would face new requirements for commercial product warning labels under a final rule now one step from being released by OSHA.
On Monday, the White House’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs completed it review of the final rule, typically the last opportunity to revise a regulation before it appears in the Federal Register.
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration drafted the revised hazard communication standard for commercial products to better protect workers and align US requirements closer to international guidance set by the UN in 2017 (RIN:1218-AC93).
OSHA hasn’t released the text of the final rule or said how it differs from proposals issued in 2021.
Manufacturers opposed the revisions during hearings in 2021, saying the recommendations were impractical and could expose them to liability claims. Unions said the proposal was too lenient.
The current hazard communications standard, last revised in 2012, requires chemical manufacturers or importers to classify the dangers of chemicals and to notify users and customers by labeling containers and providing safety data sheets. Employers must provide their workers information and training for the chemicals they are exposed to.
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