OSHA Confirms Effective Date of Final Rule Revising Beryllium Standard

Having received no significant adverse comments on the direct final rule revising the beryllium standard for general industry, OSHA has confirmed that the rule will become effective July 6, 2018.
In the direct final rule, OSHA is adopting a number of clarifying amendments to address the application of the standard to materials containing trace amounts of beryllium.
The DFR clarifies the definitions of beryllium work area, emergency, dermal contact, and contamination.
It also clarifies provisions for disposal and recycling, and provisions that the agency intends to apply only where skin can be exposed to materials containing at least 0.1% beryllium by weight.

Enforcement Extension

OSHA has also announced a delay in enforcing certain requirements of the final rule on occupational exposure to beryllium in general industry. These requirements will not be enforced until Aug. 9, 2018.
The requirements include beryllium work areas, regulated work areas, methods of compliance, personal protective clothing and equipment, hygiene areas and practices, housekeeping, communication of hazards, and recordkeeping.
On June 1, 2018, OSHA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to further extend the compliance dates of the remaining requirements until Dec. 12, 2018.
On May 11, 2018, OSHA began enforcing the permissible exposure limits for the construction and maritime industries, as well as other requirements of the general industry standard.
However, the agency will not enforce any other provisions for exposure in those standards unless it provides notice.
Certain compliance dates outlined in the rule remain unchanged.
Enforcement of the general industry requirements for change rooms and showers will begin March 11, 2019, and requirements for engineering controls will begin March 10, 2020.

Register today for CBIA’s New OSHA Silica & Beryllium Standards workshop, Sept. 12, 2018, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the CBIA Conference Center in Hartford. And don’t miss the OSHA 10-Hour for General Industry Outreach program, October 16–17, also at the CBIA Conference Center in Hartford.