Grain Journal - January/February 2009 - (Page 41) OSHA OSHA Proposes Respirator Revisions The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced in mid-January a proposal to add two PortaCount quantitative fit-testing protocols to its Respiratory Protection Standard (29CFR 1910.134). The proposed protocols would apply to employers in general industry, including grain elevators and feed mills. The first of the two proposed protocols pertains to the eight fit-testing exercises described in Part I.A.14 of Appendix A of the Respiratory Protection Standard. It would cut each exercise to 30 seconds instead of the currently required 60 seconds. The second proposed protocol would eliminate two of the eight fit-testing exercises, and each of the remaining six exercises would last 40 seconds. In addition, this proposed protocol would increase the current minimum passfail fit-testing criterion from a fit factor of 100 to 200 for half masks and from 500 to 1,000 for full facepieces. NEWS The VPP, the agency's recognition initiative for workplace safety and health excellence, will provide new options for construction contractors and other employers who may have employees at various locations. Currently, there are 2,161 federal and state plan VPP participants. OSHA Finalizes Voluntary Protection Program On Jan. 9, OSHA published in the Federal Register the final changes—effective May 9—to its Voluntary Protection Program (VPP), which, among other things, allows participation by companies with mobile workforces. OSHA Revises Field Operations Manual A new, revised OSHA field operations manual was published in midJanuary to provide OSHA compliance officers with a source of updated information and guidance on how to protect employees from occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities more effectively. The manual assists OSHA compliance officers in scheduling and conducting inspections, enforcing regulations, and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. The manual also helps give guidance to officers with cooperative programs to help them eliminate potential or existing hazards at the workplace. Some of those cooperative programs are the On-Site Consultation, Strategic Partnerships, and the Voluntary Protection Program. Response No. 411 J/F GJ 41 http://www.ceecusout.com http://www.ceecusout.com
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