OSHA Revises Hazard Standard to Align with U.N. System; Combustible Dust Listed in 'Unclassified' Category

摘要

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a final rule March 20 that aligns its hazard communication standard with international systems.The rules include a category for "hazards not otherwise classified" and cover combustible dusts-an issue that continues to be a concern for industry groups and safety advocates.The new rule aligns the hazard communication standard (29 C.ER.1910.1200) with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). Completing a regulatory process that began with an advance notice of proposed rulemaking in 2006, the rule changes the agency's criteria for classifying physical and health hazards, adopts standardized labeling requirements, and requires a standardized order of information on safety data sheets.