Another delay proposed for OSHA beryllium rule

The U.S. Department of Labor has proposed delaying the effective date of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s beryllium rule again, in keeping with President Donald Trump’s regulatory freeze. 

The beryllium rule, which was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 9, would require general industry, construction and shipyard employers to take additional steps to protect an estimated 62,000 workers from serious risks such as lung diseases.

The rule was scheduled to take effect on March 10, but was delayed to March 21 following the president’s Jan. 20 directive to freeze federal regulations pending review.

The department has proposed another delay to May 20 to allow OSHA an opportunity for further review into questions of law and policy related to the rule, according to a press release issued by the department on Wednesday. 

The proposed extension, open to public comments through March 13, will not affect the compliance dates of the rule, according to the department. Employers are required to comply with most of the obligations by March 12, 2018, although they will have additional time to comply with other requirements such as providing changing rooms and showers and engineering controls.