Keeping Up with Consensus Standards

January 12, 2005—In the 30 years since the adoption of national consensus standards as OSHA standards, the organizations responsible for these standards, such as ANSI, have issued updated versions. However, in most cases, OSHA has not revised its regulations to reflect later editions of the consensus standards. OSHA standards also continue to incorporate by reference various consensus standards that are now outdated and, in some cases, out of print.

 

OSHA has asked various consensus standards organizations to review their standards, compare the latest versions of these standards to the ones currently adopted by OSHA, and determine which ones are most important for OSHA to update. Also, OSHA has asked them to consider whether the changes to these standards would be noncontroversial, and if the new versions would reduce risk. Organizations have responded enthusiastically with considerable information on priorities and other related issues. OSHA is evaluating the information to determine the best way to proceed. It is possible that a direct final rule may be appropriate to address some of these standards. Source: SC&RA Newsletter, citing the Department of Labor's Semiannual Agenda of Regulations, published in the Federal Register on December 13.